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Honor heritage, help heroes
ENJOY THE FIREWORKS-Celebrate America's 230th year of independence at the annual Celebration Under the Stars on Tuesday, July 4, at 5 p.m. at MTSU. For event details, see page 5. For a way to help the men and women serving under that flag, see page 2.
photo illustration by Office of News & Public Affairs
Employee raises OK'd; more money for MT
by Gina E. Fann
Tennessee's burgeoning tax coffers are spilling over with benefits for MTSU in the new fiscal year.
Increased revenues allowed state legislators to approve the first new operating funds for Tennessee higher education since 1998, spreading $40 million statewide for employee raises, facility expansions and other necessities while also holding down tuition increases.
Gov. Phil Bredesen signed the measure in the courtyard of MTSU's Business and Aerospace Building June 21, saying there was "no more appropriate place for us to sign this budget than at one of our state's most outstanding universities."
At MTSU, the changes include:
- a 2 percent across-the-board salary increase;
- a $500 boost in the HOPE Lottery Scholarships for students; and
- a proposed 4.1 percent tuition hike, which is less than half the 2005-06 increase for students.
Funding also was finalized for $15 million for preplanning and infrastructure work on the university's long-awaited new science building. That new facility, which would replace Wiser-Patten Science Hall and the Davis Science Building at a total cost of $94 million, likely won't be completed before MTSU's centennial celebration in 2011.
"We're elated that the Legislature turned its focus to the needs of higher education and chose to fund items ranging from employee raises to long-needed infrastructure and expansion, especially at MTSU," said university President Sidney A. McPhee.
"But the best part of this year's budget is the consideration shown to our students. Increasing their Hope Scholarships and holding down tuition increases shows a real effort to help more students obtain a higher education in Tennessee."
Legislators mandated a 2 percent raise for higher education employees and 3 percent increases for all other state employees for the 2006-07 fiscal year. Higher education institutions like MTSU can reallocate money within their budgets to increase and/or equalize the salary hikes.
The July 1 increase will be reflected in July 31 paychecks for nonfaculty and Aug. 31 paychecks for faculty. The percentage raise won't apply to adjunct faculty, temporary employees, graduate assistants or student workers.
MTSU officials hope to use available year-end funds to once again provide one-time bonuses to all full-time employees on the payroll as of June 30. If finalized, that bonus will be included in the October paycheck.
Both state employees and higher education employees with three or more years of service also will receive a $350 one-time bonus. A percentage of the bonus also will be paid to part-time employees.
The lottery scholarship increase of $500-from $3,300 to $3,800 for four-year colleges-will cover the proposed tuition increase of 4.1 percent with more than $300 left over. The Tennessee Board of Regents was meeting to finalize the tuition increase at press time.
MTSU's current per-semester cost for full-time in-state undergrads is $2,300, not including housing and fees. The tuition hike would add $94.30 per semester to the price, for a total 2006-07 out-of-pocket tuition increase of $188.60. Last year's tuition increase was 9.7 percent, costing students $225 more per semester or $550 total for the 2005-06 academic year.
FOR ALL THE KIDS-Surrounded by children from MTSU's Womack Lane Day Care Center, Gov. Phil Bredesen signs the state's $26.3 billion 2006-07 budget as state and local dignitaries look on. The measure includes $40 million in new operating funds for higher education and features 2 percent raises for higher ed employees.
photo by J. Intintoli
Tune your guitars; Rock & Rock Camp for girls is back!
by Gina K. Logue
Girls who yearn to rock out with as much power as any band of boys will be tuning up for the fourth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp Monday, July 31, through Friday, Aug. 5, at MTSU.
This summer day camp will provide girls ages 10-18 with hands-on instruction in guitar, drums, bass, keyboard, vocals and electronic music. In addition, campers will attend workshops on songwriting, recording, music journalism, photography, screen-printing and do-it-yourself arts and crafts.
An extra attraction this year is a "music herstory" workshop emphasizing the roots of country and jazz.
The culmination of each year's camp is a showcase in which more than 16 all-female acts, formed in an atmosphere of creativity and collaboration, put their talents on display. This year's showcase is slated for Saturday, Aug. 5, at MTSU's Tucker Theatre. Doors open to the public at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6 at the door or $5 in advance by e-mailing sgrrc05@gmail.com.
This year's professional performers from whom campers will learn include The Clutters (www.myspace.com/theclutters), a Nashville-based band described by camp founder Kelley Anderson as providing "really upbeat garage rock. I think that abrasiveness will really impress and inspire."
Also on the bill is jazz vocalist Rachel Pearl, of whom camp co-director Anna Fitzgerald says, "She'll be singing classics like 'I've Got a Crush on You' and 'The Girl from Ipanema.' I've never heard her sing a wrong note."
Pearl's Web site (www.rachelpearl.com) notes that she founded a songwriters' association at MTSU and all her band members hail from the university.
Setting a blues-folk tone to the music will be the multi-instrumental duo of Raven Hilton and Shawn Hazelwood, otherwise known as Hi-Tone Hokum (myspace.com/hitonehokum). Performing on everything from banjo and mandolin to washboard and kazoo, Hi-Tone Hokum counts as its influences a plethora of artists ranging from Van Morrison to Blind Willie Johnson.
Rounding out the lineup are The Velcro Stars (www.velcrostars.com), a five-member Murfreesboro-based band that "make[s] catchy, head-bobbing indie rock that surely would have landed them on the Spongebath label back in the '90s ... if they had been around back then," according to the Nashville Rage.
Kayley Kravitz, a veteran of all three years of Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp thus far, encourages parents to enroll their daughters in this unique experience.
"Not only will they get to learn the ins and outs of the music business, they will gain a self-confidence that will benefit them for the rest of their lives," Kravitz said.
Kravitz's camp experience paid major dividends. This fall, the 18-year-old graduate of The Webb School in Bell Buckle will attend Boston's Emerson College, where she will major in journalism with an eye to becoming a music journalist. Simultaneously, Kravitz will minor in music at the Berklee College of Music.
Open registration for SGRRC ended June 30. For more information, call 615-294-3216, visit www.sgrrc.com or e-mail sgrrc05@gmail.com.
READY TO ROLL-Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp co-directors Anna Fitzgerald, Courtney Wood and Kellye Anderson take a quick break while planning this year's camp.
photo submitted
In Brief:
Watch those elbows! MTSU's Fall '06 enrollment to top 23K
MTSU is expected to pass the 23,000 mark for student enrollment when final totals go to the Tennessee Board of Regents the week of Sept. 11. "We will be very close to 23,200," Dr. Bob Glenn, vice provost for enrollment management, says. "Percentage-wise, we are right at 3 percent over the previous year." According to the fall enrollment forecast by Dr. David Penn, director of the Business and Economic Research Center, the number of first-time freshmen is projected to increase to 3,481, a gain of 273 from fall '05.
Be safe in rough weather; watch for tornado tip signs
During the next several days, new two-color "In Case of Tornado" signs will be posted in every classroom on campus. Please take time to read the signs, because they contain important information about what to do and not do if there is a tornado warning. The signs are just one part of a larger tornado-communications plan being devised for the campus community.
MTSU, Hermitage team up for new teacher workshop
MTSU and The Hermitage are collaborating in a "Landmarks of American History Teacher Workshop" funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. "The Hermitage, Andrew Jackson and America 1801-1861" will be offered July 10-14 at The Hermitage to enable K-12 educators to intensify their study and increase their knowledge of important historical topics through direct on-site experiences. Topics to be explored include "Growing Democracy," "Cotton Economy and Slavery," "Indians and Westward Expansion," "Reform and Religion," "Women's Lives in a Changing America" and "Developing a Distinct American Material Culture." For information, contact Dr. Janice Leone at 615-898-5580 or jmleone@mtsu.edu.
Perfect for morning walk: 'On the Record' podcasts
Miss a recent broadcast of the weekly "MTSU On the Record" on WMOT 89.5-FM? Visit www.mtsunews.com and click on the "podcasts" link for a list of downloadable favorites!
For the Record: How I'm spending my summer
by Dr. Hilary Stallings
Since my brother Chris was deployed last semester, I've learned much about being part of a military family. Most significantly, I've grown to understand that the war is always with you; you're always aware, as the military says, that you have skin in the game.
Simply put: it's consuming. I find myself watching the news with such urgency or repeatedly looking over Chris's consistently benign e-mails. There's just this hope that by being diligent, you'll hit upon some small reassurance that he'll be OK and come home whole. But, sadly, this search only yields an overwhelming sense of helplessness, a loss of agency that I suspect many of us share. Regardless of political ideologies, feelings about the war or direct links to deployed military members, it seems people would like, in a real, tangible way, to "support the troops." The problem is how?
For me, this answer came in an unexpected fashion. I kept hearing about fatal or life-altering head wounds: something like 59 percent of troops who survive an improvised explosive device, or IED, attack suffer traumatic brain injury, most commonly from the enormous concussive effects of the blast. Fortunately, before Chris left, I also heard Capt. Bob Meaders, M.D. (U.S. Navy, Ret.), speak about a retrofit for helmets that can drastically, drastically reduce these numbers.
This is a battle of bombs, not bullets; so, for me, there was no way my brother was deploying without one. Immediately, I e-mailed Dr. Meaders, and a helmet insert was shipped that day. Chris confirmed he received it, thanked me (commenting on the increased comfort level of the helmet), and that was it.
I didn't think much about it until a few months later when talking with my father; he asked me in an unusually quiet, still voice whether I thought Chris was using the insert. His angst in anticipating my answer had actually robbed him of normal inflection. Certainly, this $70 helmet retrofit was helping more than Chris get through the deployment.
In retrospect, that discovery seems so odd. Of course I realized my parents appreciated and were thankful for the upgrade. I knew that. But I had not internalized the depth of their feelings, nor did I understand that in their minds, knowing Chris had this piece of equipment somehow tipped the scale in favor of his safe return-that now, along with his good judgment and strong training, he had one more thing going for him. At that point, I decided to find a way to help give this same much-needed hope to the parents of Chris's 35 men. Their children, too, needed this safeguard.
So the fund-raising began, starting with a series of mass e-mails that explained how
Capt. Meaders is working to provide ALL military deployed (Iraq and Afghanistan) the inserts for free, but that takes fund-raising, and consequently there's a backlog (more requests than money).... The inserts cost $70, not an insurmountable sum.... What I'm asking you to do is visit www.operationhelmet.org. Capt. Meaders has material about the actual product, the military's approved use, tax information, etc. You will find him compelling.
I solicited everyone I knew, everyone my parents knew, even my friends' parents and their friends, moving then to letters to editors and calls to representatives. Casual remarks of interest were always followed with a presumptive, "Make the check out to Operation Helmet" or "I'll be glad to come back after payday." And it worked. People were generous, both in their personal contributions and in passing along the word. When we got close to the target amount, Dr. Meaders mailed Chris 35 inserts, which were delivered to him far away, in the desert.
Later, sitting in an Internet cafŽ in a land where the native Texan has said that the 90-degree night-lows now make him cold, Chris wrote the following, which unintentionally inspired a campaign to retrofit the entire company:
we just got the inserts late last night in the mail....but when i got my platoon together and i explained the whole thing to them from dr. meador (that was his name right) being a passionate advocate of these things, and then how you heard about them and wanted to make sure every marine in my platoon had them and then all the benefits they provide (from concussions to stopping bullets from bouncing around inside the helmet) the marines were in a kind of shock that someone they didn't know would go so far out of their way to provide something for them.
they knew they weren't cheap and they started doing the math in their heads and figuring the numbers out. they were totally amazed. they were so thankful. marines are wonderful, in that they will always do what they are told, and they will do it, tired, hungry, sleepy, moody, wet, miserable, in pain, and everything else. and they will usually get it done with far less than any other military branch out there. marines are born to fight and get the mission done with less and do whatever it takes to make sure it happens with the proper outcome. so when they found out you were out there running around raising money for them to get inserts they could have gone without, but having just helps them and provides them with that much more comfort, ree, you should have seen how thankful they were. it was truly awesome, and in a way that cookies and magazines and candy (though appreciated) will never be because those things will not actually go out and help them accomplish their mission. and you and your efforts made it that much easier for 35 marines....
ree, you are truly awesome, and should be proud of this. you made 35 (36 including me) grunt marines extremely happy and we each owe it to you and those who helped you and those who do similar kind things to keep going...
As you can see, with the help of many giving friends and strangers, this is how I have been spending my summer: raising funds and awareness-basically, trying to put the war at the forefront in our minds again. This is a difficult challenge as the time frame seems to stretch. But the people over there, on the ground, in the heat, away from their loved ones, are all our brothers, sisters and children. We all have skin in the game.
If you too would like to order a helmet retrofit for a family member or friend, visit Meaders's Web site, www.operationhelmet.org. Donations to the troops in general are welcome, and remember your gift doesn't have to be grand. Every single dollar helps. At the site, you can view Meaders's recent interview on "Lou Dobbs Tonight," which provides a succinct description of the program.
You can also talk to me. I know this may seem a bit strange, privately having to equip the military, but that's the reality of this war. Again, I am asking that we put politics aside in this case and simply support the troops.
Dr. Hilary Stallings is assistant to the dean of the College of Liberal Arts. Her brother, 2nd Lt. Chris Frey, is serving with the U.S. Marines in the Middle East.
TWO REAL TROOPERS-Marine 2nd Lt. Chris Frey and his German Shorthaired Pointer, Trooper, take a break at the Marine Corps Base at Quantico, Va.
photo submitted
Operation Helmet: How it started, how you can help
Operation Helmet is a nonpartisan, charitable grass-roots effort that provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. These helmet upgrade kits consist of shock-absorbing pads and a new strap system.
Operation Helmet depends on tax-deductible donations. For $75 to $100, depending on the manufacturer, added safety and comfort can be provided for a soldier, but donations of any amount are welcome. The donation can be designated for a specific branch of the military, a particular unit or an individual trooper.
Dr. Bob Meaders, a Vietnam veteran, began the Houston, Texas-based Operation Helmet in 2003 when his Marine Corps grandson requested upgrade kits to make his unit's helmets safer in combat. To date, Operation Helmet has sent upgrade kits to more than 10,200 troops.
One hundred percent of all donations go toward helmet kits. There are no administrative costs deducted. For more information, visit www.operationhelmet.org.
Dr. Jessie Warren, former MTSU VP, dies
from Staff Reports
Dr. Jessie H. Warren of Decherd, Tenn., former MTSU vice president for administration and a lifelong trendsetter in service to education, passed away suddenly June 10.
She was a former teacher and guidance counselor of Franklin County High School and current member of the Franklin County School Board. Most recently an agent for Century 21 Mid-State Realty LLC in Winchester, Dr. Warren held positions in education ranging from Franklin County school superintendent to assistant commissioner of education for the state of Tennessee.
The Franklin County native began her education career with a job in the business office at the University of the South. She worked there until her children were born and then stayed at home with her family until the Franklin County School System began seeking her help as a substitute teacher. Continued requests led to her accepting a full-time position as a business teacher from 1955 to 1959, all the while earning her bachelor's degree in business education from MTSU.
After receiving her degree, Mrs. Warren became a guidance counselor at the county high school, spending a decade helping students choose and meet their educational goals. During this time, she also taught evening business education courses and completed her master's degree in guidance and counseling, graduating summa cum laude in 1963.
She became director of admissions and records at Motlow State Community College in 1969, splitting her time between developing and implementing a new registration system and visiting area schools to explain Motlow's benefits to potential students.
In 1973, Mrs. Warren became the first director of continuing education and evening instruction at Motlow. She remained in that post until 1975, when she was appointed as Tennessee's first female assistant commissioner of education. In that job, she managed a division of 300 employees with a budget of $157 million, serving the state until 1980-and all the while working toward her educational specialist's degree from MTSU.
In 1980, Mrs. Warren returned to MTSU as an employee, initially serving as program coordinator and ultimately rising to associate dean of the then-Department of Continuing Education and Public Service. Some of her accomplishments at MTSU included helping to establish industrial-site classes in conversational Japanese, summer courses for teachers of the visually impaired and for classroom teachers and the summer Elderhostel program for senior citizens at MTSU.
In 1984, Mrs. Warren earned her doctorate in educational administration and supervision from Tennessee State University. Soon after, her neighbors sought her out to serve as Franklin County school superintendent, after the then-superintendent died in office. She was elected to the post that fall and led a system of 15 schools, 6,000 students, 545 employees and an operational budget of more than $11 million.
Just four years later, MTSU called again, and Dr. Warren returned to her alma mater to serve for three years as vice president for administration. She retired in 1991 to help care for her mother, but soon was back out in the working world again, teaching graduate classes as an MTSU adjunct, earning her real estate license and selling property until the day before her death.
Dr. Warren was a member of the Decherd United Methodist Church. Her husband, Paul Edward Warren, and parents, Winnie Partin Henley and Frank Henley, preceded her in death.
She is survived by a daughter, Gwen Bailey (Chuck) Rothauser of Florida Keys; a son, Glen Edward (Kathy) Warren of Lakeland; grandsons Andy (Nicole) Bailey of Franklin, Paul Edward (Amber) Warren of Murfreesboro and Matthew Lee Warren of Knoxville; granddaughter Bonita Nolan of Estill Springs; great-granddaughters Chasity Nolan, Madison Bailey and Gracen Bailey; and a great-great-granddaughter, Lacy Lee.
Funeral services were conducted June 13 at the Franklin County High School Gymnasium.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. Jessie Warren Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Citizens Community Bank, 1418 Dinah Shore Blvd., Winchester, Tenn., 37398.
CAIR-ing people
A GREAT CAUSE-Shopper Peggy Smith, left, of Murfreesboro watches as MTSU alumnus and former international student Petar Skobic helps load her purchases from the June 17 Community Assistance for International and Refugee Students yard sale. Looking on with a laugh is fellow shopper Brenda D'Amico, also of Murfreesboro. CAIRS, a not-for-profit organization formed by MTSU faculty and staff, is dedicated to helping international MTSU students here on student visas who are ineligible for any type of federal aid or grants, as well as refugees and other immigrants. Its fund-raising efforts help pay students' unexpected costs such as medical expenses, emergency car repairs, replacing stolen textbooks and buying groceries. The most recent sale, conducted in the St. Rose of Lima school gymnasium, netted the group more than $840 in a day, and organizers say donations continue to come in. For more information about CAIRS and the students it serves, contact adviser Karen Case at 615-427-9411 or kcase@mtsu.edu.
photo by Office of News & Public Affairs
Family fun, fireworks mean festive Fourth
from Staff Reports
Pack the picnic basket, the lawn chairs and the bug repellent so you and your family can enjoy Rutherford County's annual "Celebration Under the Stars" on the MTSU campus.
The free family festivities will kick off at 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, on the university's intramural field. The event schedule follows:
- 5-8 p.m.-Kids' games and activities (duck pond, Frisbee golf, ring of fire, bag toss, hot-ball relays, lollipop tree, face painting, patriotic puzzles, prizes and promotional giveaways).
- 7:30 p.m.-Formal welcome by State Rep. John Hood, followed by remarks from Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg, Rutherford County Mayor Nancy Allen and other local and university dignitaries.
- 8 p.m.-Presentation of colors, armed forces tribute and singing of the National Anthem, followed by a performance of the Tennessee Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
- 9 p.m.-Fireworks display.
Guests should enter the campus from Faulkinberry Drive off Middle Tennessee Boulevard and from Greenland Drive. The entrances on the east side of campus along Rutherford Boulevard will be closed, and parking will not be permitted on either side of Rutherford Boulevard.
The Blue Raider Athletic Association will sell soft drinks, pizza, hot dogs and traditional holiday snacks and desserts. Chick Fil-A food items also will be available.
Pets, alcoholic beverages and personal fireworks or sparklers will not be permitted on the celebration site. Cooking grills may be used only in the appropriate paved parking lots, not in grassy areas.
Because the weather is unpredictable, WGNS-AM 1450 radio, Murfreesboro's Good Neighbor Station, will provide Celebration Under the Stars schedule updates starting around 3:30 p.m. on July 4.
For more information, call Marlene Sewell, steering committee chair, at 615-896-6710 or MTSU News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.
African-American media issues a specialty; Mass Comm to welcome Geier Visiting Professor
by Gina E. Fann
A veteran communications educator whose career stretches from public television intern to academic administrator will join MTSU's College of Mass Communication for the fall 2006 semester as the latest Geier Visiting Professor.
Dr. Philip Jeter, a professor of journalism and associate vice president for academic affairs at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., since 2004, was recently approved for the post by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and the Tennessee Board of Regents.
"I'm excited about working in one of the largest mass communication education programs in the country," Jeter said. "I look forward to working with Dean Anantha Babbili, Associate Dean John Omachonu and Director Carol Pardun, whom I've known for years through committee work with the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication."
"I'm especially interested in getting to know a new group of students, and the opportunity the Geier appointment will give me to catch up on some research projects that I have not been able to for years."
Jeter, who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's degree from Cornell University, participated in a round of interviews in April for the yearlong appointment.
The university annually seeks nominations and applications of outstanding African-American scholars for the one-year Geier Visiting Professor Program, as well as applications for African-American doctoral candidates who have passed their comprehensive exams for the Geier Dissertation Fellowship Program.
"I have known Dr. Phil Jeter since 1993, when I became the General Manager of WAMF-FM radio at Florida A&M University in Tallahassee-a position held by Phil for more than 10 years prior to my arrival," said Omachonu. "In handing over the baton to me, Phil Jeter gave me an advice that turned out to be very invaluable: he urged me to always clearly explain my position to the station staff and to be fair and consistent with my policies. And with that advice, I had a successful time at the station.
"Phil is a consummate professional who believes in student success. He has a genuine passion for teaching and asks tough questions that others shy away from. He relates well to others and quickly gains the confidence of both students and faculty."
"For our journalism program and the College of Mass Communication, the one-year appointment of Phil Jeter for this coveted position means more depth and intellectual rigor as well as continued application of multidisciplinary perspectives in a way that complements our efforts to ensure diversity of thoughts and opinion throughout the college."
Before his tenure at JCSU, Jeter taught journalism for 21 years at Florida A&M and also directed the graduate program in journalism and ran the university radio station there. He has a bachelor's in French from JCSU and is a member of the AEJMC, American Journalism Historians Association, Broadcast Education Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Television Programming Executives, Radio-Television News Directors Association and the Society for Cinema Studies.
"His credentials in teaching and research are extensive, and his public service is impressive," Babbili said of Jeter. "I am thankful to Dr. Omachonu and Dr. Pardun for working with me to nurture this candidate's interest in the Geier program offered by MTSU and the TBR. The Office of Vice Provost Dr. Jack Thomas was extremely helpful in bringing Dr. Jeter to MTSU."
Jeter is the author of "Seen and Heard," a biweekly column in the Tallahassee, Fla., Capital Outlook newspaper, as well as the author of book chapters in International Afro Mass Media: A Reference Guide, The Responsible Reporter, History of the Mass Media in the United States, American National Biography, Handbook of Mass Media in the United States: The Industry & Its Audiences, Mass Communication in the Information Age and Pluralizing Journalism Education.
He's contributed articles to The Florida Communication Journal, Clio, Feedback, Journalism Educator, American Journalism, Journalism Quarterly, College Media Review and Journal of College Radio publications, as well.
The Geier Visiting Professorships are part of MTSU's commitment to implement the intent of the Geier Consent Decree by enlisting the talents of outstanding African-American scholars to instruct students in all disciplines. The Geier Consent Decree is the result of a 1968 desegregation lawsuit in which Tennessee was found to have a dual system of higher education separately serving black and white students. Signed in 2001, the consent decree prescribes a five-year plan to integrate the state's colleges and universities as well as increase overall enrollment.
Two former Geier Visiting Professors now teach full-time at MTSU: Dr. Cedric Dent, a Grammy Award-winning musician and member of the a capella group Take 6, in the School of Music, and New Orleans sculptor Kimberly Dummons, whose work is included in permanent collections at Xavier University and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, in the art department.
Hall, Rose, Yearwood are Hall of Fame inductees
from MT Media Relations
Three of the most successful athletes in the history of Middle Tennessee athletics will become the 31st class inducted into the Blue Raider Hall of Fame Nov. 4 as part of Hall of Fame Weekend, when the Blue Raiders play host to Florida Atlantic in football.
Vince Hall, Dionne Rose and Jack Yearwood will become the 92nd, 93rd and 94th members to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame.
"The 2006 class is characteristic of what we have come to expect in our honorees," said Jim Simpson, director of the Varsity Club. "They all represent the character, leadership, athleticism and deep love for this university that make them uniquely qualified to be members of the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame. Their stories are all remarkable and we look forward to their induction in November."
Hall practically rewrote the MTSU record books on rushing and still is prominent in almost every rushing category. The Blue Raiders were 33-13 during his tenure as running back for Coach Boots Donnelly from 1981 to 1984 and advanced to the NCAA I-AA semifinals in 1984-Middle Tennessee's highest finish ever.
Hall had 18 100-yard rushing games and three 200-yard games as a Blue Raider, including getting 100 yards in 10 of the 14 games during his senior year. Named to the All-OVC teams in 1983 and 1984, he was also selected the OVC Offensive Player of the Year in 1984. Hall still holds the single-season rushing record, gaining 1,439 yards in 1984, and ranks No. 1 in rushing yards per game all-time with an average of 130.8 yards per contest.
"It's hard to compare the all-time running backs unless you've seen them all, and there have been some great ones at Middle Tennessee," said Hall, who is now a firefighter in New Haven, Conn. "But I guess that (1984) season still stands as a record for me."
Rose was the first female All-American at Middle Tennessee in any sport, achieving the honor twice in the high hurdles and twice in the long jump. While at MTSU, she set four indoor and two outdoor school records and was the NCAA Champion in the indoor high hurdles and the OVC Track Woman of the Year in 1994.
Rose still holds indoor Blue Raider records in the long jump, the 55-meter dash and the 55-meter hurdles and outdoor records in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles. Rose also was a member of the record-setting 1994 relay team (4 X 100-meter).
Legendary Coach Dean Hayes said, "due to her fierce competitiveness and determination, not to mention natural talent, Dionne certainly deserves the honor of being named to the Blue Raider Hall of Fame."
"It is truly a great honor to be inducted," said Rose. "I prayed about it a lot but never dreamed it would actually happen. It is great to be considered among the greatest athletes in the history of Middle Tennessee athletics."
Yearwood, recruited by Coach "Wink" Midgett to Middle Tennessee for the fall of 1942, played in every quarter of every game during that season, playing both offense and defense.
Yearwood proudly served his country during World War II, escaping a German POW camp while on a march and weighing only 115 pounds. He returned to Middle Tennessee to finish his education, again playing both offense and defense for the Blue Raiders, along with holding down an outfield position on the baseball team.
He was an all-conference performer for both of his last two years in football and was named to the "Who's Who in America's Colleges" in 1948.
Yearwood went on to earn a master's degree at Peabody College and taught and coached in Tennessee and Florida, retiring from coaching in 1974 and teaching until 1983. Still not through with athletics, he continued to officiate both basketball and baseball games on a regular basis.
"I don't guess there are too many POWs in (the Hall of Fame), but that's just how I am. I also like being an individual," said Yearwood, who retired to Bartow, Fla. "This gives me a sense of pride and honor, and I didn't even think much about the Hall of Fame until later on in my life.
"The war really put sports in perspective, but that doesn't mean I didn't love it any less. That's why I played and a lot of veterans played when we got back home. It was just a different game back then."
Grace in learning
AND NOW, THE ARABESQUE- Hannah Disterdick, front, of Chattanooga, concentrates with her peers as they practice in an afternoon ballet class at the Governor's School for the Arts at MTSU. Led by Laurie L. Merriman, an assistant professor and dance program director at Illinois State University, the ballet students have been practicing in the old church sanctuary in the Fairview Building. Their fellow students in the music, theatre and visual arts programs have been learning and working in the Wright Music Building, Tucker Theatre, Todd Building and other campus venues. The five-week program, which concludes July 15, provides intensive study to talented high-schoolers in exchange for six hours of college credit. The students will showcase their accomplishments in a series of finale performances July 13-15; for details, see the calendar on page 4.
photo by Ken Robinson
Program offers bridge from high school to college
by Randy Weiler
Just call it a crash course in college and college life.
That's what 27 incoming freshmen at five state colleges and universities were learning while they participated in the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Summer Bridge Program.
For three weeks, the students spent full days-8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday-in primarily science, technology, engineering and mathematics classes.
On Fridays and Saturdays, they traveled to visit the other five alliance partners and their regions and could attend church before flying with MTSU's aerospace department June 18 and taking horse riding lessons June 25 with MTSU Equestrian Coach Anne Brzezicki.
"It's a great program," said Dr. Tom Cheatham, dean, College of Basic and Applied Sciences. "The three-week program primarily is focused on education. One goal is to transition them from high school to college. It's especially important for disadvantaged students whose parents didn't go to college."
MTSU TLSAMP Director Dr. Barbara Knox said another goal is "to double the number of students in science, engineering, technology and math in five years. We offer different types of programs to help the retention rates and the degree completion.
"There is a national shortage of students in those areas, and there's a national shortage of citizens in those areas. We seem to fall behind in keeping the interests of minorities once they decide to major in one of those areas."
Incoming MTSU freshman Kelman Edwards, 18, of Nashville, a Hume-Fogg graduate who is undecided but leaning toward engineering technology, called the program "very educational. It has helped me recapitalize what I've forgotten through the years. . . . There's a good mix of learning stuff, and they take us out for recreational activities."
Jason Jarrett, 17, a Memphis Ridgeway High School graduate planning to major in computer technology at MTSU, said the "really good program helps me develop more skills. It has a higher level of education. ... It helps me understand what college life is like."
University of Tennessee freshman Sydney Fears, 18, of Little Rock, Ark., who plans to major in aeronautical engineering, said the program highlight after Week 1 was "meeting new people who are going to go to college in Tennessee. It's exciting to go to different campuses and see their multicultural centers."
The group visited the University of Memphis and LeMoyne-Owen College June 16; Vanderbilt, Tennessee State University and Opry Mills Mall in Nashville June 17; UT-Knoxville and Pigeon Forge's Dollywood and factory outlet mall June 23-24.
The other incoming MTSU participants included Kensley Van Dyke (computer science) of Paris; Raymond Dennis (ETIS) of Murfreesboro; Justin Cherry (biochemistry) of Memphis; Cassandra Titus (biology) of Nashville; Dwight Patterson (animal science) of Murfreesboro; and Tony Lee (biology) of Ripley.
Patterson is the son of MTSU chemistry faculty Drs. Pat and Dwight Patterson. And TLSAMP director Knox's daughter, Charity Howard, a UT food science major, is a product of the program. Knox said her daughter is working with Dr. Cliff Ricketts, professor, agribusiness and agriscience, in research this summer.
A June 30 awards program in the James Union Building's Tennessee Room ended the session. Rev. Vincent Windrow, vice president of Zycron Computer Services Inc., and an MTSU alumnus, was guest speaker.
UP, UP AND AWAY-Members of the Summer Bridge Program above, board an MTSU plane for a jaunt around the area. The program, sponsored by the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, aims to help incoming college freshmen make the transition from high school to higher education. In the photo below left, incoming freshman Cassandra Titus of Nashville grins for the camera in-flight.
photos submitted
People Around Campus: Professor sees practical terror deterrents
by KaToya Jackson
Not many people could imagine taking a 10-day trip to Israel with the objective of experiencing the tragedy and terrorism that others live through on a daily basis.
But for MTSU's Dr. Karen Petersen, visiting military bases, border zones and other security installations in Israel represented an ideal chance to learn the practical side of deterring terrorist attacks.
An assistant professor of political science, Petersen recently was accepted as a 2006-07 academic fellow with the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington, D.C., a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to educate Americans about the terrorist threat to democracies worldwide.
The FDD, according to a press release, produces independent analyses of global terrorist threats and sponsors programs that promote democratic ideals at home and abroad to help protect the individual freedoms guaranteed within democratic societies. The FDD fellowship program was established after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America.
As an academic fellow with FDD, Peterson participated in an intensive series of lectures by academics, diplomats and military officials from India, Israel, Jordan, Turkey and the United States, in addition to embarking on field trips throughout Israel to learn how democratic states combat the terrorism threat, said Audra Ozols, FDD's coordinator for campus programs.
Experiencing the FDD- sponsored trip to Israel, which took place May 27 through June 7, was not an opportunity offered to many, however, since only 45 people from throughout the United States were selected as fellows.
"The chairman of political science, Dr. John Vile, told me about the opportunity to become an academic fellow and I applied," Petersen said. "Since I will soon be teaching a course in international conflict (in the fall 2006 semester), this was a good opportunity."
Petersen said the fellowship will prove helpful in the political science courses she already teaches, as well as those that she is developing.
"When I found out about the academic fellows program, I actually showed it to a number of faculty members, and I thought Dr. Petersen would be an especially good candidate because she teaches in this area," Vile said. "Since Petersen is just beginning her teaching career, she will have many years ahead where she can share this information with her students and colleagues."
The idea of the fellowship study, according to Petersen, "is to see how another democratic society deals with terrorism and to become better equipped about terrorism."
Petersen said she was honored to be among the handful of fellows chosen and eager to represent the university as part of the program.
"This is not just a wonderful opportunity for me, but it's also a great opportunity for the students here at MTSU, because I will be able to come back and share what I learned in Israel with them," Petersen said.
"This program will benefit all of my courses."
KaToya Jackson is a senior majoring in education and behavioral science.
FENCED WITH A VIEW-MTSU's Dr. Karen Petersen captured this view from the Israeli side of a fence facing into the West Bank during her recent trip to Israel to study terrorism. The chain-link fence, which also is made of concrete in some places and flanked by barbed wire, is intended to protect Israel from incursions by suicide bombers and terrorist operatives. The sand road is on the Palestinian side so that Israeli military can spot crossing points.
photo by Karen Petersen
The Record, July 3, 2006, V15.01
Campus Calendar
>>Top of Page
Campus Calendar July 3-16
TV Schedule
"Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9, Monday-Sunday-5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+, Saturdays-1:30 p.m.
Every Monday night
MTSU Guys & Dolls Swing Dance Club
Free dance lessons 6-7 p.m., open dancing 7-9 p.m.
Dance Studio A, Murphy Center
Open to the community
For information, e-mail: lindyfiend@gmail.com.
Through July 15
Governor's School for the Arts
Campuswide
For information, contact: 615-898-2223.
Tuesday, July 4
Independence Day Holiday
No classes; all university offices closed
"Celebration Under the Stars"
5 p.m., Intramural Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2919.
July 6-7
CUSTOMS Orientation
Colleges of Liberal Arts, Education & Behavioral Science, Business and undeclared majors
7:30 a.m., campuswide
Fee: $65 per freshman, $50 per family member
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~customs
or contact: 615-898-5533.
Thursday, July 6
Final Exams-Summer Session II
Classes meeting M-Th
Friday, July 7
Final Exams-Summer Session II
Classes meeting M-F
July 8-9
Clinton Anderson Horsemanship Clinic
9 a.m. daily, Miller Coliseum
Admission: $25 advance, $50 at the door
For information, visit downunderhorsemanship.com
or contact: 1-888-AUSSIE-2.
Saturday, July 8
4-H Central District Sheep Show
Tennessee Livestock Center
For information, contact: 615-832-6550.
Sunday, July 9
"MTSU On the Record-MTSU at The Met"
Guest: Holli Harrison
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com
July 10-12
Blue Raider Volleyball Individual Camp
Open to girls entering grades 5-12
Fee: $150 per commuter camper, $200 residential
For information, contact: 615-898-2230.
Monday, July 10
Summer Session IV begins
Tuesday, July 11
BRAA Board of Directors Meeting
5:30 p.m., Floyd Stadium Press Box
For information, contact: 615-898-2210.
"Bookends" Lecture Series
Dr. Jimmie E. Cain, "Going After Cacciato"
7:30 p.m., Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St.
No admission charge
For information, visit www.linebaugh.org.
July 11-12
CUSTOMS Orientation
Colleges of Basic & Applied Science, Mass Comm and undeclared majors
7:30 a.m., campuswide
Fee: $65 per freshman, $50 per family member
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~customs
or contact: 615-898-5533.
Wednesday, July 12
Middle Tennessee Speed School, Session II
Open to athletes 12 to 18
6-7 p.m. every Wednesday through Aug. 2, Floyd Stadium
Fee: $60 for full session or $20 per session
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-904-8196.
July 13-14
Tennessee Holstein Show
Tennessee Livestock Center
For information, contact: 423-562-0168.
July 13-16
U.S. Team Roping Eastern Regional Finals
8 a.m. daily, Miller Coliseum
No admission charge
For information, visit http://ustrc.com/
or contact: 254-968-0002.
Thursday, July 13
Governor's School for the Arts Finale Reception/Fund-Raiser
5:30 p.m., Todd Building
Admission: $100 per person
For information, contact: 615-898-2223.
"Growing Young Minds" Project HELP Fund-Raiser
Event registration, 6:15 p.m.; dinner, 7 p.m.
Admission: $50 per person
For information, contact: 615-898-2458.
Governor's School for the Arts Opera & Theatre Performances
7 p.m., Tucker Theatre
Admission: $20 per person (includes July 14 performances)
For information, contact: 615-898-2223.
Friday, July 14
Governor's School for the Arts Music & Dance Performances
7 p.m., Tucker Theatre
Admission: $20 per person (includes July 13 performances)
For information, contact: 615-898-2223.
July 15-16
Murfreesboro Obedience Training Club Obedience Show
Tennessee Livestock Center
For information, visit http://community.webtv.net/MOTC/MURFREESBORO.
July 16-18
Blue Raider Volleyball Team Camp I
Open to varsity, JV and junior-high teams
Fee: $140 per commuter camper, $200 residential
For information, contact: 615-898-2230.
July 16-22
On Stage! Summer Discovery Institute
Campuswide
For information, contact: 615-898-5342.
Sunday, July 16
"MTSU On the Record-Steve Yarbrough"
Guest: Steve Yarbrough
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com
Calendar Items Welcomed
Submit your campus event calendar items (at least three weeks in advance of the event, please) to gfann@mtsu.edu or via fax to 615-898-5714.
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