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Ready for takeoff
NASA-APPROVED-Michael "Mickey" Anderton, left, an engineering technology and industrial studies graduate student, adjusts ETIS' NASA-award-winning Moonbuggy as freshman ETIS major Renee Knott observes. For details, see story on page 2.
photo by News & Public Affairs/Leigh Harrington
2,000+ to graduate May 6
by Lisa L. Rollins
More than 2,000 degree candidates are expected to graduate during MTSU's 94th spring commencement on Saturday, May 6-a record number of candidates for a spring graduation event, said Dr. Sherian Huddleston, assistant vice provost of enrollment services.
MTSU will again feature dual ceremonies and dual speakers starting at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Murphy Center. No tickets will be required to attend.
Of the 2,042 set to graduate, some 1,736 are undergraduates, 235 are master's degree candidates, 67 are educational specialist (Ed.S.) candidates and four are Ph.D. candidates, Huddleston noted.
Candidates from the College of Graduate Studies, Jennings A. Jones College of Business and the College of Education and Behavioral Science will receive their degrees in the morning ceremony. That afternoon, degrees will be conferred on candidates in the Colleges of Basic and Applied Sciences, Liberal Arts, Mass Communication, and Continuing Education and Distance Learning.
The Right Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie, prime minister of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is the guest speaker for the 9 a.m. ceremony. Christie, who also serves as minister of finance, was sworn in as the third PM of an independent Bahamas on May 3, 2002, after a free general election.
Born in Nassau on Aug. 21, 1943, Christie is believed to be the youngest Bahamian ever appointed to the senate. Former Prime Minister Sir Lynden Pinkling named him as a senator in November 1974, where he served in that role until June 1977. He has gone on to serve in numerous governmental roles in The Bahamas, including chairman of The Bahamas' Gaming Board, which regulates casinos. Also an attorney, the prime minister is the eldest son of the late Gladstone L. and Naomi Christie, a cab driver and nurse.
Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, now in his second term, will be the featured speaker for the 2 p.m. ceremony. First elected in 1999, then re-elected to a second mayoral term with a record-setting 84.8 percent of the vote, Purcell served as director of the Child and Family Policy Center at the Vanderbilt Institute of Public Policy Studies before becoming mayor.
An attorney by profession, Purcell earned his law degree from Vanderbilt University and was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from its law school. A former House Majority Leader and chairman of the Select Committee on Children and Youth, Purcell served five terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives beginning in 1986. His tenure as mayor has drawn national attention for his work on behalf of schools, increased funding for public safety and economic growth.
Dr. Jack Thomas, vice provost for academic affairs and chairman of MTSU's commencement committee, reminded all degree candidates of the importance of appropriate dress and decorum for the ceremonies.
"We believe this is a very important day in the lives of many people," Thomas said. "Commencement is one of those few days that families always remember as special. It is difficult to give the ceremony the dignified atmosphere it deserves if people are using air horns or leaving before the completion of the ceremony."
Additionally, the committee emphasized that students who participate in commencement will be required to stay for the entire ceremony, each of which should last about two hours. If candidates are planning celebration activities, they should be aware of this commitment, the committee noted.
"To make this a special day, it requires cooperation from everyone in attendance," Thomas said. "We believe it should be a dignified ceremony, which adds to its enjoyment of all in attendance."
The doors to Murphy Center will open at 8 a.m. for the morning ceremony, and candidates are expected to be in their assigned areas, dressed in their caps and gowns, no later than 8:30 a.m. For the afternoon ceremony, the doors will open at 1 p.m., and candidates are expected to be in their assigned areas and ready at 1:30 p.m. Officials said that students who are not in their assigned gyms at the proper times to receive instructions will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony.
The ceremonies also will be available via Webcast from the "Spring Commencement" link on the MTSU home page, www.mtsu.edu.
For more information about commencement or receiving a degree in absentia, please visit the Records Office Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~records/ grad.htm. Questions about graduation may be directed to 615-898-2600.
Graduation at a Glance
Who: 2,042 graduates*
What: 2006 spring commencement ceremonies
When: 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6
Where: Murphy Center, MTSU
Webcast: Go to www.mtsu. edu, click on the "Spring Commencement" photo and then click "Spring 2006 Commencement" under "Live Events." Webcast links will be active 15 minutes before each ceremony begins.
*- Approximate number as of April 4, 2006.
Researcher finds fitness, academic link
By Tiffany Jordan
A recent study by a graduate student at MTSU has found a noteworthy correlation between academic achievement and physical fitness.
Working toward a doctoral degree in human performance, Brandi Eveland has completed a dissertation on the effectiveness of physical activities in the curricula of Rutherford County and Murfreesboro city schools.
Eveland conducted her research on students in grades three through five, making her observations on aerobic capacity, body composition and muscular fitness. She found that aerobic capacity and muscular fitness both were related to the scholastic success of individuals in the study.
"I've always been interested in the wellness of kids," Eveland said in explaining her research subject. "With the obesity epidemic within this population, it is necessary to examine all avenues to help improve overall physical fitness."
In the area of aerobics, the children completed a one-mile run. Eveland concluded that a decreased running time led to an increased score on mathematic and reading evaluations.
Similar results were found with muscular fitness and math. The more curl-ups children were able to do, combined with higher scores in a flexibility assessment, the better they did on math assessments, Eveland noted. No connection was present between reading and muscular fitness.
"These findings, as well as past research in this area, serve as justification for schools to incorporate programs aimed at improving physical fitness levels of students," said Eveland.
Eveland is set to graduate on Saturday, May 6, earning a doctorate in human performance with an emphasis in exercise science. For more information about her research, contact Eveland in the Department of Health and Human Performance at 615-898-5545.
In Brief
TOTS NEED DIVERSE TALES; DONATE BOOKS TO PCSW DRIVE
The Diversity Committee of the President's Commission on the Status of Women is sponsoring its annual "Diverse Tales for Diverse Tots" book drive through Friday, May 5. The group needs children's books in good used or new condition and for any age group that reflect or teach any aspect of diversity and/or multiculturalism. The books will be presented to the MTSU Extended Evening School Program held at the Campus School. Donations may be dropped off in the sociology and anthropology (Todd 307) and English departmental offices (Peck Hall 302), at the June Anderson Women's Center (James Union Building 206) or the Owls Office (KUC 320). For more information or to arrange a donation pickup, call 615-898-2668.
PUBLIC SAFETY PLANS MORE WOMEN'S SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES
Officer David Smith, a certified Rape Aggression Defense instructor, was to begin a new RAD class for women Thursday, April 20, at the MTSU Department of Public Safety training room, located at 1412 E. Main St. in Murfreesboro. The class is free and open to all students, faculty and staff, as well as the surrounding community. The class will be held from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. for six consecutive Thursdays, and students will receive a workbook/reference manual. Those interested in enrolling in the RAD class should call Smith at 615-494-8855; leave a name and number on voice mail if needed. Also, please see related article on page 7 of this edition.
GREEK LIFE PROGRAMMING PLANS YARD SALE FOR DAY CARE
MTSU's Greek Life Programming Board is planning a yard sale Saturday, April 29, to benefit the Womack Lane Day Care Center. Scheduled hours are 6 a.m. until 4 p.m., and the event will be conducted along Greek Row. Donations of sale items such as clothing, furniture, toys, books and electronics will be accepted at the Sigma Nu House Mon-days from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. Fridays. Donations also are being collected in MTSU residence halls and in the Keathley University Center, as well as all day Saturday, April 22, at the Sigma Nu House. For more information or to schedule a donation pickup time, call 615-898-5812.
FOR THE RECORD: Military science commander reflects on years of service
by LTC Todd A. Overby
I was asked to provide a few words with this being my final semester as the professor of military science at Middle Tennessee State University. It is also my final assignment in the military.
It has been my pleasure to contribute to the development of Blue Raider Battalion cadets who represent the future officer leadership of the U.S. Army.
We live in a free and prosperous nation. I consider it a privilege to be a U.S. citizen. Given this fact, supporting and defending our Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, for the past 26 years, has been an important period in my life.
Throughout my time in the military, I have served in numerous other nations that do not value the dignity of human life, respect for others, ethnic diversity and religious freedom that we do in America. Are we perfect? No. We do have a government and legal system that strive to right what is wrong and to protect the rights and freedoms of our citizens. These rights and freedoms come with a cost.
Freedom is not free. Sons and daughters have sacrificed their lives to protect these critical aspects of our American way of life. We must not take them for granted or think they cannot be taken from us.
I have been in a foreign land, drinking tea with a successful man and his family in a tent. This man and his family were on the run and feared for their lives, not because of anything they had done but because of the wickedness and hatred of a leader of a nation.
As I prepare to transition to life after the military, I seek a profession that provides the same level of satisfaction that the Army has for my family and I. I believe there are numerous ways to serve this great nation other than through the military. One such profession is teaching, which I believe will provide me the same level of professional satisfaction and service to others that I have received in the military.
My sincere appreciation and thanks go out to Drs. Sidney McPhee, Kaylene Gebert and Tom Cheatham and the entire Blue Raider faculty and staff of this great institution for your unwavering support of our critical mission of commissioning the future officer leadership of the United States Army.
May God continue to bless MTSU.
Lt. Col. Todd A. Overby joined MTSU in June 2001 as chairman and professor in the Department of Military Science. His posting before MTSU was with the Allied Forces North at NATO headquarters in Ramstein, Germany.
Moonbuggy team rolls to success
by Randy Weiler
MTSU rocked when it competed in the college division of NASA's 13th annual Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, Ala., April 8.
MTSU earned first place in both the Best Engineering Design and Most Unique Design divisions with its newer four-wheel, two-seat Moonbuggy.
"Winning the design meant more to me than winning the (Great Moonbuggy) race, recognizing the effort we put into it more than the athlete we had on it," said Mike Vanderknapp, 42, a senior engineering technology and industrial studies transfer from Central Texas College and retired military man now living in Murfreesboro with his wife, Holly.
ETIS graduate student Michael "Mickey" Anderton, 28, the overall projects leader, said winning both divisions "was awesome. The team worked really hard. We worked to get the best design."
The Moonbuggy placed in the top 10 in the race, with the drivers (freshmen Renee Knott and Johnny Guidry) having to overcome trouble with the chain used to pedal the vehicle.
In the annual competition, students are required to design a vehicle that addresses a series of engineering problems similar to those faced by NASA's original Moonbuggy team.
Team adviser Dr. Saeed Foroudastan, associate dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, said the final group of 12 to 14 students "could not do it all without Mickey Anderton. He did a superb job. He put his heart and soul into it."
And when he "saw Mike (Vanderknapp) for the first time," Foroudastan said, "I knew he would be a good team leader. He's retired Army. He feels responsible."
Foroudastan said he appreciated the support of Dr. Charles Perry, holder of the Russell Chair of Manufacturing Excellence, and the support from Dr. Tom Cheatham, dean, College of Basic and Applied Sciences; Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost for academic affairs; and the entire ETIS faculty.
10 new Neill-Sandler Scholars honored May 3
by Randy Weiler
Ten Middle Tennessee high school seniors who have overcome hardships to find success in life will be honored for their perseverance Wednesday, May 3, during the eighth annual Neill-Sandler Strive for Excellence Banquet at MTSU.
The invitation-only event will start at 6 p.m. in the James Union Building's Tennessee Room.
The 10 students, who have been nominated by their schools and school systems, have recovered from tough times. In spite of their situations, they have performed well in the classroom and on their college entrance tests and exhibited leadership skills in and out of school. Some have worked to financially assist themselves and their families.
Scholarships provided through the Neill-Sandler Foundation and The Danner Company, a Nashville-based business led by chairman Ray Danner, will go to deserving students from the Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Franklin, Ruther-ford, Warren, Williamson and Wilson county and Tullahoma city school systems.
This year's honorees include Wartrace resident Danee Crosslin of Cascade High School, Bradyville resident Michelle Pruett of Cannon County High School, Jamey Hurst of Coffee County Central High School in Manchester, Dowelltown resident Bethany Davis of DeKalb County High School, Jeff Sanders of Hunt-land High School, Murfreesboro resident Elizabeth D. Allen of La Vergne High School, Chelsea Beaty of Warren County High School in McMinnville, Franklin resident Kasey Stannard of Page High School, Wesley Frazier of Watertown High School and Stephanie McGowen of Tullahoma High School.
One scholarship recipient will receive the Ray Danner Scholarship, which has a total award of $10,000. Another student will receive the Elizabeth and Sidney McPhee Scholarship with a total award of $7,500. Each of the other winners will receive $5,000 scholarships.
"This fall, MTSU will welcome 10 additional Neill-Sandler Scholars to campus," said Kippy Todd, assistant director for annual giving in the Office of Development.
"These students have weathered many losses and hardships with great courage and determination. We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments."
Todd acknowledged the assistance and effort from businessmen Gary Neill of Knoxville and Mike Sandler of Murfreesboro in maintaining the scholarship program.
"We are grateful to Mike Sandler and Gary Neill as they continue to assist students in making a college education possible," she said.
The program has awarded 75 scholarships since its establishment in 1999 through the efforts of Neill, Sandler and Randy Morton of the Neill-Sandler Foundation.
For more information about the Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU, visit www.mtsu.edu/~devofc/neill-sandler.htm. For information about other scholarships or admission to MTSU, call 615-898-2111.
MTSU inks pact with Asian university
by Gina K. Logue
Opportunities for students to broaden their worldviews are expanding with the new partnership between MTSU and Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, just outside Manila in the Philippines.
Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, economics and finance professor and director of the U.S.-Japan Program, visited ADMU three times prior to the realization of the agreement and was the pivotal figure in the accomplishment. He says ADMU is considered the finest private institution of higher learning in the country.
"This is a good place for development studies and Chinese and Japanese studies," Kawahito says. "Any MTSU student can take courses in English, and transferring credits is easy."
Under the agreement signed by officials of both universities in February, MTSU students will pay their regular tuition, room and board to MTSU as if they were attending classes here as full-time dormitory residents. Travel expenses are to be handled separately by individual students, but most loans and financial aid are applicable to all expenses.
Through Kawahito's efforts, MTSU has established partnerships with Fukushima University, Saitama University, Nagoya Yakuin University and Kansai Gaidai University in Japan, Yonsei University in South Korea and Bangkok University in Thailand.
"The best strategy for MTSU students would be to enroll in the June-October term at ADMU, to do some traveling in Asia thereafter and return to MTSU in December to get ready for the spring semester," Kawahito says. "Certainly they may stay at ADMU for an academic year."
Up to four semester-only students or up to two academic-year students may be exchanged annually. Students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average.
Kawahito says three students from ADMU are slated to arrive here in August for a semester's study. The goal is to have at least one MTSU student in Quezon City by the middle of June. Eventually, he notes, faculty exchanges also might be arranged.
To apply for the opportunity to study in the Philippines or to find out more, contact Kawahito at 615-898-5751 or kawahito@mtsu.edu, or Jennifer Campbell, director of International Education and Exchange, at 615-898-5179 or mtabroad@mtsu.edu.
Musical collaboration highlights MYO concert
by Laura Beth Jackson
For the Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra's final presentation of the season on Tuesday, May 2, concertgoers will hear the results of a special collaboration between a composer and an orchestra.
When composer Bruce Dudley, instructor in jazz studies at MTSU and Belmont University, first met the students of the Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra, it was as a guest accompanist during a Spring 2005 performance. But what started as a simple performance turned into a unique friendship.
A year later, Dudley began composing for the orchestra as part of The Commission Project, a foundation that supports mentor relationships between professional composers and young musicians.
"Dudley wanted to make it a collaborative project," said MYO conductor Susan Mullen. "He's been talking to the students, getting their input and feedback. So he's really written it for them."
"With a composer students can start to understand and have a process," added Ned Corman, founder of The Commission Project. "You can't just read a book about composing. What happens is peculiar to that individual. [Composing] is a process. Part of the idea of TCP is to reveal to kids that this is what the process is about."
Corman, a friend and former teacher of Dudley's, began The Commission Project in 1994. He also is a jazz composer and teacher from Eastman School of Music.
TCP emphasizes supporting mentorships and artist-in-residency programs in schools. To date, nearly 112 professional composers have participated in the TCP, teaching more than 23,000 students and publishing more than 84 original scores.
Intended to draw professional musicians back into the realm of education, Corman started the program by networking with friends, commissioning works for them and asking that they work with local elementary-, middle- and high-school bands for a certain time and compose for them.
Corman and Dudley's friendship became one of friendly nagging as Corman frequently asked Dudley to compose for The Commission Project. Dudley had already developed an impressive resume of composing for various professional ensembles, including the Canadian Saxophone Quintet, Millar Brass, the group Cello, and film and television work, as well as releasing two of his own albums, "Semblance" and "Close to You."
"Ned asked me off and on for the last couple of years if I had found an orchestra that I could compose for," Dudley said. "I hadn't found it until I worked with the MYO.
"When I practiced with them, I heard the rehearsal, then the actual performance of the Murfreesboro Youth Orchestra. ... [T]hese kids were so focused and talented, and I thought, 'Man, this is a really good orchestra.'"
Dudley has worked with the MYO students since October 2005, bringing the music to them in pieces, getting their thoughts and responses as he continued to compose.
"So there's a human aspect to the composition," Dudley added. "Much of it is not just conducting a piece, but to show them that it's an ongoing process-many variables go into it."
One of the outcomes of the mentorship is that two of the MYO musicians have written their own compositions. The MYO will premier Dudley's "Evening Interrupted" in its concert "Cultural Awakenings: Blending Visions" on May 2 at 7 p.m. at Hinton Music Hall.
Other concert highlights will be "West Side Story" selections, "Allegro Appassionato" by Camille Saint-Saens and Richard Strauss' "Horn Concerto No.1, I. Allegro."
Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for students with ID. Group tickets for 10 or more are $5 each. Tickets will be available at the door or may be purchased by calling 615-849-3803 or e-mailing myorchestra@gmail.com.
Laura Beth Jackson is a December 2005 MTSU graduate and works as Business Education Partnership communications coordinator for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.
Teachers Hall of Fame to induct 6
by Lisa L. Rollins
The Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame will induct six new members during its annual induction ceremony and banquet beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29, in the Presidential Ballroom of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.
The black-tie affair will mark the 12th year that the Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame has honored educators who have exemplified excellence in teaching in Tennessee.
To date, 58 educators have been inducted into the hall of fame, which is co-sponsored each year by MTSU and overseen by a Board of Governors representing all major state educational organizations.
"Although MTSU is the sponsor of the activities associated with the Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame, the effort truly is a statewide endeavor," Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean of MTSU's College of Education and Behavioral Science and coordinator of the April 29 ceremony, says.
"The hall of fame is a wonderful way for Tennesseans to honor those who have made exemplary contributions to the education profession and the lives of young people," she adds.
This year's inductees are:
¥ Gallatin, Tenn., resident Connie Balturshot of Sumner County Schools, who served all of her 21 years in the classroom. Cited as "the epitome of what all administrators, parents and students desire" in a teacher by those who nominated her, Balturshot taught third grade at Guild Elementary from 1989 to 2006. She taught second-grade at two Ohio schools from 1966 to 1970 before taking a hiatus to serve as a homemaker. She has been named to Who's Who in American Teachers three times.
¥ Murfreesboro resident Ann Dunn, who spent all 42 years in the classroom before retiring from Mitchell-Neilson Elementary in May 2003. Dunn began her teaching career in 1961 in Memphis upon her graduation from Tennessee A&I State College. She also taught for four years in Davidson County and joined Murfreesboro City Schools in 1966, where she continued what her nominators called her tradition as "a true example of (a) caring, dedicated and outstanding" teacher.
¥ Ruth Gaines of Unicoi, Tenn., who currently teaches English IV at Unicoi County High School. Gaines has served all of her 35 years in the classroom, where she has "made a difference in thousands of students' lives," according to those who nominated her for the hall of fame. She also was an active volunteer and teaching assistant for her local Head Start program.
¥ Oak Ridge, Tenn., resident Mary Lou Murphy, a 34-year teaching veteran who has "made a tremendous difference in the lives of her students," according to those who nominated her. A 30-year member of the Philanthropic Education Organization, Murphy served as a teacher in Oak Ridge's Linden Elementary (1962-64), Glenwood Elementary (1972-1985) and Jefferson Middle School (1985-2005) classrooms.
¥ Joan Payne of Mountain City, Tenn., a middle-school history teacher for the Johnson County School System, who has spent 31 years in the classroom. She has dedicated her entire career to the students in rural Johnson County, where she began as an instructional assistant in 1974 before teaching for two years at Laurel Elementary and relocating to Johnson County High School to teach physical education and health and coach tennis, girls' volleyball and basketball. For the past 14 years, however, she has taught a number of subjects for middle-schoolers.
¥ Lenoir, Tenn., resident Mary Ann Stewart, currently the federal projects director and a curriculum specialist for Lenoir City Schools, has logged 38 years as a professional educator, with 34 of those years spent in the classroom teaching English, speech and drama. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in '68 and '73, respectively, and her Ed.S. from Tennessee Technological University in 1991. Stewart has held a number of professional roles, including two terms as president of the East Tennessee Association of Teachers of English.
A reception for the inductees will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Presidential Ballroom at Opryland Hotel, followed by dinner and the educators' inductions.
Advance tickets to the banquet and induction ceremony are $35 each and available by calling the College of Education and Behavioral Science office at 615-898-2874.
1st environmental education summit scheduled at MTSU
by Randy Weiler
A wide array of experts from across the state and beyond will gather April 27-28 for the first ever Tennessee Environ-mental Education Summit with the Tennessee Environmental Education Association.
The invitation-only summit will allow key leaders from environment and educational backgrounds to discuss the environment and its role in education, the future direction of environmental education in Tennessee, common concerns and challenges and more, event organizers said.
The keynote address at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 27, will be made by Paul Sloan, deputy commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation since April 2005.
At 2:45 p.m., Tami Coleman, coordinator of Projects CENTS (Conservation Education Now for Tennessee Students) at the state Department of Education, will discuss national environmental education curriculum projects active in Tennessee and recruiting and training workshop facilitators.
Other April 27 summit presenters will include Dr. Padgett Kelly, Drs. Cindi Smith-Walters and Sidney A. McPhee and Linda Jordan.
The April 28 session starts at 9:15 a.m. with Vera Vollbrecht and Ken Voorhis discussing nonformal environmental education opportunities and challenges.
Continuing education
ALWAYS LEARNING-Biology professor Dr. Kim Cleary Sadler, left, gives visiting Japanese teachers Kouzi Kudo and Masanori Shirai a chance to look at vinegar eels with a computer-assisted microscope. Kudo and Shirai spent a day learning about U.S. K-8 educational techniques under Sadler's guidance with the help of Cynthia Jones, an MTSU alumna and fourth-grade teacher at Murfreesboro's Bellwood Discovery School.
photo by Ken Robinson
Reading fundamentals
I KNOW WE CAN-Gov. Phil Bredesen, seated at center, reads "The Little Engine That Could" to a group of more than 200 local children to celebrate MTSU's role in the Rutherford County "Books from Birth" program kickoff. Looking on are MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, seated at far left, and children's book characters The Berenstain Bears, Madeline, Winnie the Pooh, the "If You Give a Pig a Party" Pig and Curious George, along with MTSU mascot Lightning. MTSU has so far contributed more than $5,000 to the Rutherford County program, which is part of a statewide effort to ensure that every child in Tennessee receives one book each month from birth until age 5. For more information about the program, visit www.rutherfordbooks.org.
photo by J. Intintoli
MTSU artists to take lead at annual JazzFest
from Staff Reports
MTSU's Jazz Ensemble I will honor this year's JazzFest headliner, Phil Woods, with a special selection when the band takes the main stage on the Murfreesboro public square at noon Saturday, May 6.
MTSU jazz studies director Don Aliquo says 18 advanced musicians will be playing in the ensemble, including four who will be graduating this year: trombonist Kasey Lowrance, saxophonist Mark Cellar, pianist Matt Rowland and guitarist Kevin Wakefield.
MTSU's Presidential Concert Series this academic year featured alto sax superstar Woods, who is headlining JazzFest one month after playing at the university.
To honor Woods, the university band will play a special arrangement by graduate assistant Shaun Purcell during its JazzFest program.
Woods is scheduled to perform with his renowned quintet starting at 7:30 p.m. May 6.
Jazz percussionist Roger Humphries, whom Aliquo calls "the father figure for the whole Pittsburgh jazz scene," also is scheduled to perform on May 6 on the public square.
Humphries played over the years with both Aliquo and his father in the Pitts-burgh area. He praised them both and pointed out that the younger Aliquo wrote the title tune of Humphries' 1991 album "This 'N That," one of more than a score of albums featuring Humphries' percussion work.
At JazzFest, Humphries will play at 4:30 p.m. on the main stage with the MTSU All-Stars, led by Aliquo on sax and including Bruce Dudley on piano, Jim Ferguson on bass and Jamey Simmons on trumpet.
JazzFest is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. It's a project of Main Street: Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Inc., a nonprofit organization that assists in the promotion, historic preservation and economic development of the downtown area.
For more information, visit www.mainstreetjazzfest.com.
Fund-raising lunch set April 26
from Staff Reports
The MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter is holding a fund-raiser lunch at Outback Steakhouse, 1968 Old Fort Parkway, to benefit its scholarship program.
Three seating times will be available Wednesday, April 26, at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per person, and the meal includes steak or chicken, bread, baked potato and Caesar salad.
"Since the lunch will take place on Administrative Professionals Day, we are giving people the option of purchasing tickets for someone in their office, and the alumni office will send an Administrative Professionals Day card with the tickets included," said Patience Long, assistant director, alumni relations.
This year, the chapter plans to award $7,000 in scholarships for incoming MTSU freshmen from Rutherford County.
"We really need people to come out and support this scholarship," said Hanna Witherspoon, president of the Rutherford County Chapter. "Outback is donating all the food and staff time, which means that 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to students in Rutherford County."
To make reservations, call 615-898-2922 or visit www.mtalumni.com.
Oscar-winning engineer plans visit
from Staff Reports
Famed movie recording and mixing engineer Shawn Murphy, the man behind the music of Oscar-winning films like "Schindler's List," "Braveheart" and "Saving Private Ryan," will share his expertise and experiences with MTSU April 24-26 as the 2006 SunTrust Artist-In-Residence.
During his three-day visit to campus, Murphy, who won his own Oscar in 1994 for his sound work on "Jurassic Park" and whose credits read like the Internet Movie Data-base's entire database, will present a series of public lectures and "master classes" for students in MTSU's Department of Recording Industry.
Murphy's visit is made possible through the support of SunTrust Bank. His scheduled SunTrust lectures, all in Room 101 of the Bragg Mass Communication Building on campus, include:
¥ Monday, April 24, 7:30 p.m., "The Film Music Industry";
¥ Tuesday, April 25, 9:40 a.m., "Surround Mixing for Film";
¥ Wednesday, April 26, 9:20 a.m., "The Job Market: What to Expect in the Audio Industry."
"Shawn has to be considered one of the top film music engineers in the world," said Dr. Bob Wood, the department's coordinator of production and technology. "The scope and quality of his work are remarkable. As I look through my list of favorite films of the last 20 years, Shawn recorded or mixed the music for almost all of them.
"We've wanted to have Mr. Murphy on our campus for several years, but his schedule is extremely busy," Wood continued. "We were fortunate that he had a cancellation in his schedule that allowed him to make the trip."
MTSU audio engineering professor John Hill noted that Murphy clearly savors sharing his audio expertise with others.
"His insights on how to break into the competitive world of professional audio should be in a book, but they aren't," Hill said. "It's only available from a seasoned professional with a rich background in all things audio- and music-related."
For more information about the visit, contact Wood at 615-898-2532.
See Spot Run for Habitat May 13
from Staff Reports
See Spot Run, a 5K event for runners, walkers and their dogs, will kick off at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 13, said event organizer Katy Francisco Riddle, assistant director of alumni relations.
Registration will start at 6:30 a.m. on the west side of Peck Hall near the 5K starting line. Proceeds from the $15-per-person entry fee will go toward MTSU's goal of building a house for the Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity.
Those interested in participating, volunteering or sponsoring the event can call 1-800-533-MTSU (6878) or learn more at www.mtalumni.com.
That's the spirit
RESPECTED AWARD-Dr. Jim Burton, left, dean of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, presents the 2006 Joe M. Rodgers Spirit of America Award to HCA executive Jack Bovender as Aubrey Harwell, holder of the Free Enterprise Chair of Excellence, right, looks on. The award, presented during the annual University Takeover/ Executives-in-Residence program, recognizes a businessperson who demonstrates the best of the spirit of America through contributions to government, education, and/or civic and charitable organizations. It's named for former Free Enterprise chairholder Rodgers, a Nashville businessman and former U.S. ambassador to France.
photo by Ken Robinson
African-American awards salute students, alumni
by Randy Weiler
Alumnus Darrell S. Freeman Sr., president and chief executive officer of Zycron Computer Services Inc. in Nashville, will be the featured speaker for the annual African-American Awards Ceremony.
The event will be held starting at 7 p.m. Friday, May 5, in the Tom H. Jackson Building (Alumni Center).
The student scholarship awards are held in honor of the late Al Wilkerson (B.S. '73, M.A. '79, Ed.S. '92), an MTSU alumnus and former faculty member who helped establish the Office of Multicultural Affairs on campus and the first MTSU African-American alumni organization.
This marks the first year the event will recognize both student and alumni award recipients at the same ceremony.
"We are fortunate to have so many African-American alumni who have become successful after their time at MTSU," said Valerie Avent, assistant director of alumni/ multicultural affairs. "This event is the perfect platform to recognize worthy students and alumni, offer interaction and fellowship and honor a magnificent man such as Mr. Wilkerson."
Freeman (B.S. '87, M.S. '90) founded his company in 1991, a year after earning his master's degree at MTSU. Zycron now employs more than 100 people.
Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased by calling 1-800-533-MTSU (6878) or visiting www.mtalumni.com.
MTSU students bring home top honors
Students from across campus have done MTSU proud in recent weeks, bringing home honors from regional and national competitions in marketing, cheerleading, music and journalism.
Thirteen business students competed last month at the Pi Sigma Epsilon National Convention in Minneapolis, and Alpha Pi, the local PSE chapter, won the designation of Top Silver Chapter in the nation.
Team member Brittany Sewell, a senior from Hendersonville, won the Top Project award and also first place in the National Speaker's Competition.
Senior Ashley Maxwell of Nashville and junior Jo Gilley of Manchester were two of 12 finalists out of 70 students competing in the PSE National Pro/Am Sell-a-thon.
In addition to Sewell, Maxwell and Gilley, other team members were Natasshia Brown, Katie Bryant, Sivilay Carpenter, Gregory Castillo, Kristi Floyd, Jessica Hunt, Chase Larson, Shana McDaniel, Cayce Shackleford, and Lindsay Walden. Dr. Katie Kemp, assistant professor, management and marketing, attended and serves as their chapter adviser.
MTSU's Cheerleading Squad came home from Daytona Beach, Fla., April 10 as the national runner-up- the university's highest finish in four years of competing at the National Cheerleading Association/ Chick-Fil-A Collegiate Nationals.
The MTSU squad was composed of four males and 19 females from the co-ed and all-female squads. Members include Raquel Sosa, Tara Abernathy, Carling Hughes, Lisa Van Sickle, Anna Brogden, Christa Jensen, Amy Koelz, Rose Wamback, Alli Bosley, Stacy Bullock, Mindy Shaffer, Kayla Turner, Samantha Rogers, Ashley Sizemore, David Miller, Jennifer Wilson, Joseph O'Field, Tommy Graham, Kaci Dupree and Orry Clayborne.
On March 31 and April 1, MTSU students competed in the regional auditions for the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition at Carson-Newman College, where more than 300 singers were in attendance.
MTSU junior Emily Kent won first place in the junior women's category, and senior Andy Rader took second place in the junior men's division.
Four additional MTSU students were semifinalists in this competition-Mark Wanich, Megan Tozer, Becky King and Corinne Denny.
And MTSU's independent student newspaper, Sidelines, brought home the bronze from the Southeastern Journalism Conference's annual competition at Emory University this semester. MTSU won third place in the "Team Top 10" SEJC competition to earn the prize.
Students earning individual awards in on-site competitions at the conference included Erica Hines, second place for information graphics; Sarah B. Mullen, third place for newswriting; and Timothy Hill, second place for personal column.
Groups working to promote campus safety
by Heather Taylor
The Safety and Health Subcommittee for the President's Commission on the Status of Women and MTSU's Department of Public Safety have teamed up to help promote health and safety on campus, intending to make students and faculty aware of available safety services.
"We want to do everything we can to make students and faculty aware of these services and to increase safety on our campus," said Dr. Cathy Crooks, chair of the subcommittee.
"Primarily our focus is on women, because we feel many of them are just not aware of the safety services available on campus."
The group has explored a number of different avenues for improvement, from lighting on campus to repairing emergency call boxes. However, Crooks said, the subcommittee's primary concern is making students aware of the student patrol division, also known as Raider Escort.
Raider Escort is a group of 10 trained, uniformed student officers who typically serve the campus from 5:30 p.m. until midnight daily. They patrol campus, lock doors and watch buildings, but their main duty is to escort students and faculty.
Public Safety officials and members of the PCSW subcommittee have discussed changing the service's name to "Safety Escort Services" to help raise awareness.
"Women should not feel they are intruding on anyone's time by calling Raider Escort, because that is what student patrols are here for," said Crooks. "They do not get called often, so we really want people to be aware they can use this service."
The groups noted that there has been some criticism about the response times for Raider Escort.
"Typically, the response time is not more than five minutes," noted Maj. Roy Brewer, associate chief of police. "People need to give themselves enough time [to call] and plan ahead if they are going to need an escort.
"Having a personal safety plan is essential, because that is what bad guys look for-a person who is in a rush and not paying attention to [her] surroundings."
Decals with information and phone numbers for the Raider Escort program are a possibility, officials said. The decals could be placed on the outside doors of buildings around campus and on Raider Xpress bus routes. Similar information also could be posted on MTSU's home page and the PCSW and Public Safety Web sites.
The department also offers an ongoing Rape Aggression Defense program, which allows a trained full-time officer to work with groups, specifically females, to prepare them to deal with dangerous situations. The six-week class is offered several times of year-a new class began meeting on Thursday, April 20-but Public Safety will teach a class anytime a group is interested.
"Since I have been here 19 years, I can only think of three or four of these unknown perpetrator assaults, like the tragic situation we had earlier this year," said Brewer, referring to a Feb. 19 on-campus attack that is still under investigation.
"Most reported sexual assaults on campus are acquaintance or date-rape assaults," the associate chief continued. "I would love to see a mandatory freshman class that prepares students for what they are going to face in the social and dating scenes on campus."
To contact Raider Escort anytime, call 615-898-2424 or go to any blue emergency call box on campus for a direct connection to an emergency dispatcher.
For more information on Raider Escort and RAD classes, visit Public Safety's Web site at http://police.mtsu.edu.
Gearing up
FOCUS ON AVIATION-Outdoorsman Tom Gresham, center left, interviews Aerospace Department Chairman Paul Craig outside the MTSU hangar for Gresham's weekly TV show on The Outdoor Channel, "Wings to Adventure," with the help of cameraman Scott Guyette and crew member Meredith Gresham, an MTSU mass communication alumna and the TV host's daughter. "Wings to Adventure" is shot entirely in high- definition format and will provide what Gresham calls a "full-throttle, gear-up" look at aviation. The show, which also filmed aviation-related scenes in Tullahoma and Lebanon, is scheduled to air in the third quarter of 2006; visit www.wingstoadventure.com for air times.
photo by News & Public Affairs/John Lynch
Deadline nears for Discovery Institute
from Staff Reports
A rare chance to pilot a plane or star in a theater production is available to African-American high school students-those who will be rising junior and seniors-at MTSU's Summer Discovery Institute. But students need to act fast to participate in this unique opportunity.
The award-winning Summer Discovery Institute program provides two potentially life-changing learning opportunities called "In Flight!" and "On Stage!" MTSU Academic Support Services developed the program.
Both programs feature faculty from two of MTSU's signature departments-aerospace and speech and theatre. Participants will attend classes and daily demonstrations and live on campus for one week.
In Flight! will be held June 4-10; On Stage! will take place July 16-22.
The program is free, but students must register soon because the deadline is May 1, Dr. Debra Sells, associate vice president of Academic Support Services, emphasized.
"This program is a combination of campus projects, experiments and off-campus field trips," Sells said. "Students will have time to visit and learn from top-notch faculty at our university. It is also meant to be a lot of fun. But spaces are limited and our deadline is almost on us."
Participants in the On Stage! program will join local theater professionals and MTSU faculty to explore the full range of skills related to theatrical production.
The In Flight! program will give students a deeper understanding of flight and aerospace technology. Students will get hands-on experience in MTSU's flight simulators and inside university aircraft.
To enroll, call 615-898-5342 or visit www.mtsu.edu/~gmtsdi.
Discovery could change continent's history
by Gina L. Logue
A n MTSU forensic anthropologist is one of a select number of scientists to examine a skeleton that could force historians to rewrite the story of the entire North American continent.
Dr. Hugh Berryman was one of 11 U.S. experts to scrutinize the bones of Kennewick Man, a 9,300-year-old skeleton found 10 years ago along the Columbia River at Kennewick, Wash. They presented a paper on their findings at a February 2006 meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in Seattle.
"It's one of the oldest skeletons, one of the earliest individuals that populated this continent," Berryman says. "And we have a chance to look at those remains and learn from them-what they tell us about the past and who these people were."
The 380 bones are being preserved at the University of Washing-ton's Burke Museum under an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the land on which Kennewick Man was discovered.
Berryman says the skeleton was buried two to three feet deep. The burial miraculously saved the bones from the elements, animals, machinery and man for centuries, and ancient deposits of calcium carbonate on the bones allowed researchers to determine the positioning of the bones in the ground.
"We have evidence that the bones were still in anatomic order," Berry-man says. "He was still articulated, and he appears to have been a burial. So once something is buried, that moves it at a depth that perhaps the coyotes, the wolves, scavengers could not get to it."
The research, conducted in July 2005, was very nearly derailed when the Corps initially decided to turn Kennewick over to a coalition of Native American tribes. Eight scientists filed a federal lawsuit to gain permission to study the skeleton. A federal judge, whose ruling later was upheld by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, decided in favor of the scientists after determining that the tribes could not prove a direct cultural affiliation with Kennewick.
Berryman says the information that can be gleaned from Kennewick came close to being lost forever.
"Since 1990, we've lost most of the skeletal remains from groups," Berryman says. "It's a shame that a lot of these groups are already gone.
"We have no way of knowing what kind of movements there were in prehistoric times, where these people came from, who they were related to, what other tribal groups they might be related to."
What the experts were able to ascertain from their brief encounter with Kennewick is that he did not look like a Native American. In fact, Berryman says, Kennewick's facial features are most similar to those of a Japanese group called the Ainu, who have a different physical makeup and cultural background from the ethnic Japanese.
Some Ainus' facial features appear European. Their eyes may lack the Asian almond-shaped appearance, and their hair may be curly and light in color. However, this does not mean that Kennewick Man necessarily was European in origin. His features more closely resemble those of the natives of the Pacific Rim than those of Native Americans.
Berryman, a fracture expert who was trained in the fine art of picking dead people apart at the University of Tennessee's "Body Farm," also documented three types of bone breaks in Kennewick-fractures suffered in his lifetime that healed, fractures that happened after his burial and fractures that occurred when the skeleton was eroded from the riverbank.
The cause of Kennewick Man's demise remains a mystery. What is known is that this athletic, rugged hunter suffered many physical traumas before finally expiring in his mid-to-late 30s.
Berryman says Kennewick has only begun to reveal the story of his life and times, and it would be tremendous to have other scientists examine his bones.
"It was a lot slower process than we thought," Berryman says. "The first day, all day, we looked at one bone, one femur. And then we realized at the end of the day that we were going to be lucky to be able to cover this the way that it should be in a week and a half."
Age, ancestry, sex, height, pathologies, types of trauma, even whether a woman has given birth-all can be determined just from examining a skeleton, says Berryman, who often is called upon to give expert testimony on bones in criminal trials.
"Bone is great at recording its own history," he says. "Throughout your life, there are different things that you do, and they may leave little signs in the bone. If you can read those signs, it's almost like interviewing a person."
COMPARING NOTES-Dr. Hugh E. Berryman of MTSU, at right, and his colleagues discuss the Kennewick Man discovery. Seated from left are geochemist Thomas Stafford of the University of Wisconsin; C.Wayne Smith, curation specialist, Texas A&M; attorney Alan L. Schneider; and Smithsonian anthropologist Douglas W. Owsley.
photo courtesy Smithsonian Institution/Chip Clark
The Record, April 24, 2006, V14.20
Campus Calendar
>>Top of Page
Campus Calendar
April 24-May 7
TV Schedule:
"Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9, Monday-Sunday-5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+, Saturdays-1:30 p.m.
Monday, April 24
MTSU Brass Chamber Ensemble
6 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
MTSU Flute Choir
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Tuesday, April 25
Military Science Spring Awards Ceremony
11:30 a.m., KUC Theater
For information, contact: 615-898-2470.
Mass Comm Student Awards and Wall of Fame Ceremony
3-4:30 p.m., Bragg Mass Comm For information, contact: 615-898-2814.
MTSU Women's Chorale
6 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Tuesday, April 25
MTSU Baseball vs. Lipscomb
7 p.m., Reese Smith Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2103.
"Nashville in Harmony"
Nashville's GLBT and Friends Community Chorus
7:30 p.m., Tucker Theatre
For information, contact: 615-898-5910.
Faculty Collaborative Piano Recital
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Wednesday, April 26
Last day of classes
Campuswide
Administrative Professionals Day
Campuswide
MTSU Softball vs. Austin Peay
4 p.m., Observatory Park
For information, contact: 615-898-2103.
MTSU Baseball vs. Tennessee Tech
7 p.m., Reese Smith Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2103.
MTSU Commercial Music Ensemble
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
Thursday, April 27
Study Day
No classes; campus offices open
Accounting Alumni Appreciation Day
7:30 a.m.-4:40 p.m, BAS State Farm Room
Cost: $75 alumni, $100 others
To register, visit www.mtsu.edu/~actgdept.
MTSU Symphonic Band
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.
April 28-May 4
Final Examinations
Campuswide
April 28-30
MTSU Baseball vs. Arkansas State
7 p.m. April 28; 4 p.m. April 29; 1 p.m. April 30
Reese Smith Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2103.
Sunday, April 30
"MTSU On the Record-Books from Birth"
Guests: TBA
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com
Friday, May 5
First Friday Star Party
"How Do Telescopes Work?"
6:30 p.m., WPS Room 102
For information, contact: 615-898-2130.
Because rescheduling information arrived after the April 24 edition of The Record went to press, the article "African-American awards salute students, alumni" on page 6 included an incorrect time for the May 5 ceremony. The rescheduled event will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, May 5, in the Tom H. Jackson Building (Alumni Center). All other event information remains the same. The Record regrets any inconvenience this may have caused.
African-American Awards Ceremony
5 p.m., Tom H. Jackson Building (Alumni Center)
Admission: $10 per person
For information, contact: 615-898-2987.
May 6-7
MTSU Softball vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Noon daily, Observatory Park
For information, contact: 615-898-2103.
Saturday, May 6
Spring 2006 Commencement
9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Murphy Center
For information, contact: 615-898-2919.
Sunday, May 7
"MTSU On the Record-See Spot Run"
Guests: Katy Francisco Riddle
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com
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