The Record, July 26, 2010, V19.02

• Making an impact: Health care study's teamwork puts focus on MTSU's role, talent
• New PSAs reaching out to Hispanic community
• In Brief: McNair Symposium set
• Library opens dynamic new Digital Media Studio
• McPhee tapped to fill SBC seat on NCAA Division I board
• 8 years strong and still rolling on at Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp
• Tune in now to 'Middle Tennessee Record'!
• Get 2010-11 permits by July 30
• Wireless network update set
• Child Development Center earns NAEYC accreditation
• Got chocolate milk?
• See 'Lands Worth Preserving' exhibit at Heritage Center
• Challenging schedule awaits 2010 Blue Raider soccer
• Project SEED research gives student 'insight' into college expectations
• Faculty/Staff Update
• Campus Calendar

Click here to view the PDF version



Making an impact: Health care study's teamwork puts focus on MTSU's role, talent
by Tom Tozer

MTSU's Business and Economic Research Center in the Jones College of Business once again wielded its clout and expertise when it released a yearlong economic-impact study on the health care industry in the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The partnership is even more significant because students in the College of Mass Communication interviewed industry leaders who appeared on the study's DVD, then edited the final product.

Add the fact that MTSU Audio-Visual Services shot most of the footage, and the College of Education becomes a third MTSU partner in the collaboration.

Dr. Murat Arik, associate director of the BERC, was the lead researcher. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean joined the Nashville Health Care Council, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and MTSU representatives July 7 to announce the results of the study at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.

"The health care industry contributes more than $30 billion a year and more than 210,000 jobs to the Nashville economy," Dean said of the study's findings. "The health care industry is Nashville's largest and fastest-growing employer."

"The findings underscore what we've always known to be true—that Nashville's health care industry is unique to other markets, especially in the creation of jobs, locally and globally," Arik said.

Drs. Clare Bratten and Bob Kalwinsky, associate professors in the Department of Electronic Media Communication, served as advisers to the students and also shot some B-roll and interviews.

"The (student) interviewers were Amanda Farris and Audrey Weddington, who were thrilled to meet and discuss health care issues with Health Care Council members such as Dr. William Frist and Dr. Thomas Frist Jr.," Kalwinsky noted.

"The post-production was conducted by Clare Bratten's editing students, Hattice McCord and Lauren Levins, who turned out a very compelling product. We are very pleased with the final result."

"It was fun. I enjoy editing," said McCord, a senior mass-communication major from Shelbyville, adding that the project took about two months to complete.

"I was glad to get to work on it," said Levins, a graduate student in mass communication from Memphis. "I was very proud to show some of my work to other people."

The student-produced DVD was included in a packet distributed at the event along with the economic-impact study.

"The caliber of students who participated in this project was just through the roof," said Marissa Murphy of Jarrard Phillips Cate & Hancock, Inc., a national health care public-affairs firm headquartered in Brentwood. "It was a very positive experience for everyone involved."

Joey Jacobs, chairman of the Health Care Council, told the gathering that there are more than 180 member companies in the HCC, which will soon be celebrating its 15th anniversary.

"We appreciate the hard work done by the staff at MTSU," he added.

The complete study, key bullet points and the student-produced DVD can be found at www.healthcarecouncil.com .

"I am extremely proud of our faculty and students," noted Dr. Roy Moore, mass communication dean, who attended the Nashville event and greeted participating students.

"Partnerships are what it's all about, and we intend to expand our reach into the greater community, which is right in step with MTSU's mission. It's really rewarding to see our students applying their knowledge and skills in such a significant way."

INTENSIVE STUDY—Senior Hattice McCord, left, and graduate student Lauren Levins discuss their work on a DVD accompanying the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center's recent health care study. The two are mass-communication majors.

photo by News and Public Affairs

>>Top of Page


New PSAs reaching out to Hispanic community
by Tom Tozer

Thanks to the tenacity of a faculty member, support from the university and the Tennessee Board of Regents and a partnership with Telefutura television, MTSU is reaching out to the students and families of the region's Hispanic community.

The message: Tennessee welcomes you, and the university community is interested in you.

Public service announcements are or will be soon airing in Spanish on Telefutura TV 42 and on La Nueva Activa Radio 1240 AM. MTSU students and alumni are providing the voices and conveying the project theme, "Educacion: The Way to Your Dreams."

The seed was planted more than a year ago when Dr. Laura Blackwell Clark, an assistant professor in the Womack Family Educational Leader-ship Department, had a conversation with Jim Baumann, Telefutura's chief technology officer.

"They were already broadcasting public- service announcements for Nashville Metro Schools, and Jim wanted to take it to the university level," Clark said. "He asked if MTSU could do something like that. I said, 'Yes, we could!'"

The collaboration also involved Caroline Bizot, assistant director of admissions, and the College of Education.

Clark credited Dr. John Townsend, executive director of the TBR's Workforce Development Office, with offering the funding "even before I had anything ready. One of their goals is to do outreach from TBR to the Hispanic community. That demographic is growing. Dr. Townsend saw my project as a perfect fit.

"I suggested that we focus on providing information to students and families in middle Tennessee about how to get ready for college," Clark continued. "Typically, in American families, information about colleges is not easily accessible or widespread. Granted, high-school counselors provide it, but if children don't assertively go after it, and their parents don't encourage them, they may not get it. Particularly when a family is new in the county, they don't have the social capital to understand that they need to talk to the high school to get this information or go to a website. So they go in without really knowing what questions to ask."

MTSU students, some of Hispanic origin and some non-Hispanic who speak Spanish, provided the voices for the 60-second TV PSAs. Their message includes information about the ACT admission and placement exam, filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form, types of colleges in Tennessee and how to navigate the technical language of college enrollment.

"That's why we're doing these in Spanish," Clark said. "The purpose of these spots is to give kids and their parents information. If they happen to be recent immigrants, their parents may still be learning English. These are families who may not know networks yet, so we're showing them some Latino faces at MTSU who have gone to college. And we're also showing them American kids who are saying, 'Come on! Go to college! And by the way, I speak Spanish.'"

Edgard Izaguirre, a senior public-relations and marketing major, was one of the students who helped to record the PSAs.

"It's a great feeling knowing that we are all working together for a common cause that will positively impact the Hispanic/Latino community," Izaguirre said. "I felt honored."

Izaguirre called his friend Brandon Clements and told him he should get involved, especially since Clements, a senior majoring in Spanish, will soon leave to study for a semester at the Universidad Nacional in Costa Rica.

"It's not every day you see your average American guy speaking Spanish fluently," Clements said. "It kind of makes one think, hey, college really can help me achieve my goals. ... I feel great just to have been part of it."

Other MTSU students who appear on camera are Anne Marie Moctezuma, Dany Flores and spring 2010 graduate Krissy Mallory.

Receiving the grant for the project required Clark to develop a way to monitor the results of the PSAs. With the help of Middle Tennessee YMCA Latino Achievers, counselors in Nashville Metro Schools and MTSU's Admissions Office, they will ask Hispanic students who express interest in exploring college if they heard the announcements and were motivated by them.

"I'd like to offer these announcements to K-12 school systems for their high school students and even to other universities," Clark said. "The message is ... go to college and it will help you achieve your dreams."

>>Top of Page


In Brief: McNair Symposium set

The 11th Annual McNair Program Research Symposium is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 3-4, in Cantrell Hall inside the Tom H. Jackson Building on campus. Presentations are set from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 3, while events are set from 8:45 a.m. to noon on Aug. 4. For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~mcnair or call 615-904-8462.

>>Top of Page


Library opens dynamic new Digital Media Studio
by Gina K. Logue

The new Digital Media Studio on the second floor of the James E. Walker Library will provide MTSU students with access to cutting-edge technology for perfecting their class projects starting in the fall 2010 semester.

With Technology Access Fees paid by students, the library purchased types of computer hardware and software specifically requested by the students. The library provided funds for task lights and rewiring.

The hardware will include eight Dell PCs with 22-inch monitors and 12 iMacs with 27-inch monitors. Some PCs and iMacs will be equipped with flatbed scanners. In addition, pen tablets, headphones and multi-format card readers will be available for checkout.

All PCs will have Power DVD, Roxio Easy Media Creator and Microsoft Office 2007. All Macs will have iLife and Microsoft Office 2008. Both versions of Office include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Publisher.

Some PCs and some Macs will be equipped with Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Edition, including Photoshop, Fireworks, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Contribute and Flash. Open-source multimedia production software, including GIMPshop, Inkscape, Jahshaka, Avidemux, Virtual Dub, Audacity and OpenLaszlo, also will be available.

"Now, more than ever in the workforce, they have to create multimedia presentations way beyond PowerPoint," says Heather Lambert, emerging technologies librarian. "But if you're a history major or an education major, you might not necessarily get training on how to use that software."

Lambert says a librarian and two assistants will be on duty at the desk at all times. While the number of student workers has yet to be determined, she says they will be trained specifically to help their fellow students become more familiar with the available technology. Lambert says the student workers need not be computer-science or mass-communication majors.

"We want students from other majors," she says. "English students would be great because they can relate with other English majors and help share that knowledge. We don't necessarily want 100 percent tech-heads involved."

Each student will be able to print up to 50 copies per day on the studio's black-and-white printer, but color printing will be limited to 20 copies per day—and only for academic use—as a cost-effectiveness measure. To print an item in color, a student will need to take a jump drive to the desk, where an assistant will generate the printout.

Another new feature of the studio is a legal-sheet-sized laminator to make it easier for students to create eye-catching research posters at a cost of $1 per laminated sheet. A preparation table with an overhead light will be equipped with tape, scissors, a hole punch, a paper cutter, mounting glue, staplers, rulers, T-squares and a grid board.

The studio offers rolling dry-erase boards, a collaborative work area, one-on-one sessions with tech coaches, online tutorials through the Lynda.com database and how-to manuals with step-by-step instructions.

Microtext viewing, the main purpose of the room prior to its transition to the digital age, will continue to be available in the center, says Microtext Librarian Ken Middleton.

"That's always been a hard sell with students," Middleton says. "Many students are intimidated by the machines."

However, two new smaller ScanPro devices will be added to make the format easier to use. The library's microtext collection includes census data, newspapers, specialized collections from other libraries, political history and women's history.

"We want everyone to be able to access this," Lambert says. "The whole goal of this area is that it's accessible to everyone—not just graduate students, not just film students, not just computer-science students. This is for everyone."

Anyone with a valid MTSU ID—student, faculty, staffer or administrator—may use the Digital Media Studio. The fall 2010 hours will be 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. to midnight Sunday for technical and microtext help. For research help, the hours will be 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday. A librarian will be on call at other hours.


>>Top of Page


McPhee tapped to fill SBC seat on NCAA Division I board
from MT Athletic Communications

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will serve as the Sun Belt Conference's representative on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, conference officials announced July 18.

McPhee replaces former Louisiana-Monroe President Jim Cofer, who recently accepted the position of president at Missouri State. McPhee will serve Cofer's remaining term, which runs through April 2013.

McPhee previously served on the committee from 2003 to 2007.

"Dr. McPhee was chosen to represent the Sun Belt Conference because of his outstanding leadership both within the league and on a national level," said Sun Belt Commissioner Wright Waters. "His previous experience on the board of directors will ensure that we have a veteran leader who understands not only the structure and organization of the NCAA but the relevant issues as well."

McPhee will be one of 18 voting members on the board, which is the highest governance body in Division I and is composed of campus presidents and chancellors.

"It is both exciting and humbling to be selected a second time to this prestigious NCAA committee," McPhee said. "This committee establishes strategic plans for Division I athletics and reviews and sets policy for the division. It will be an honor and a pleasure to represent the Sun Belt Conference in this important duty."

McPhee, who has also served two terms as president of the Sun Belt Conference, is one of only 11 Football Bowl Subdivision members from the Division I Board on the Executive Committee, which also includes seven Football Championship Subdivision and Division I conferences that rotate seats.

"Dr. McPhee's re-appointment speaks volumes to his leadership and how well-respected he is amongst presidents and athletic directors, not only throughout the Sun Belt Conference but nationally as well," said MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro.

"He has great vision and is very in tune with the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics. This is the most powerful and influential committee one can serve in the NCAA, and it can only help the Sun Belt Conference for Dr. McPhee to complete Dr. Cofer's term."

>>Top of Page


8 years strong and still rolling on at Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp
by Gina K. Logue

For the eighth consecutive summer, girls with a passion to rock the house will descend on MTSU July 26-31 for the Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp sponsored by Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities.

The day camp for girls ages 10 to 17 aims to create a positive atmosphere of collaboration and self-esteem. Campers will attend workshops and classes in guitar, vocals, keyboards, bass, electronic music, songwriting, drums, recording, screen printing, music herstory, photography, zine-making and do-it-yourself arts and crafts.

On Saturday, July 31, the bands the girls have formed during the week will put what they've learned on display in a showcase performance at 7 p.m. in the Siegel High School auditorium at 3300 Siegel Road in Murfreesboro. Doors open at 6 p.m. All tickets are $10 general admission; children age nine and under will be admitted free.

Throughout the showcase, audience members will be eligible for raffle prizes, including a vintage Gretsch guitar from the Gretsch Foundation, one night's stay at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville, a Daisy Rock electric guitar and VIP passes to the Next Big Nashville Music Festival.

Featured performers and panelists during the weeklong camp include:

• Kat Brock, former front woman for the regionally acclaimed band Dixie Dirt, who recently released a three-song solo EP on theory 8 records;

• How Cozy!, a Franklin-based group that cites riot grrrls, folk punk and their cats as influences with occasional implementation of xylophone and accordion into their songs;

• Dr. Felicia Miyakawa, assistant professor of musicology at MTSU, who teaches courses in popular and art music traditions, including her popular Hip-Hop Music and Culture class;

• The Worsties, a quartet nominated for Best Indie/Pop Band and Best Video in the Aug. 31 Nashville Independent Music Awards, who will open for Bon Jovi and Kid Rock on July 31 at Soldier Field in Chicago;

• Anna Guest-Jelley, associate director of the Margaret Cuninggim Women's Center at Vanderbilt University, who will discuss healthy dating relationships for middle- and high-school students;

• Luisa Lopez, a Texas-based singer-songwriter whose EP "Cigarettes and other dirges ..." has been described as "soul and country colliding into an honest collage of catharsis and denial";


• Take the Power Back, the world's first and only all-female Rage Against the Machine tribute band, formed in Nashville in October 2008; and


• Anna Fitzgerald, one of the founding mothers of the Murfreesboro SGRRC and an intern at United Record Pressing in Nashville. She is completing her master's degree in media studies at the University of Texas in Austin with a concentration in the history of rock posters and music culture.

Major sponsors of the SGRRC include Textbook Brokers, SESAC, the Center for Popular Music at MTSU, the MTSU School of Journalism, Publix, Panera Bread, Grand Palace Silkscreen, Tugboat Productions, Singer Sewing Company and Vitamin Water.

The Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp is a program of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities, a Murfreesboro-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

For more information, visit www.yeahintheboro.org or e-mail info@yeahintheboro.org.

>>Top of Page


Tune in now to 'Middle Tennessee Record'!

HAVE YOU SEEN IT YET?—The July edition of "Middle Tennessee Record," MTSU's monthly video magazine, is on the air and hotter than the turf at Floyd Stadium! One of this month's segments targets the ReRev technology on fitness equipment at the Student Wellness, Health and Recreation Center, which creates and stores electrical energy to operate some of the machines while users work out. MTSU junior Kelly Leake, shown at left, is one of the users of a ReRev-equipped elliptical machine at the Rec Center in the feature.



Another feature in July covers MTSU's community-outreach role with Elders First, a program in Rutherford County that provides family caregivers with a much-needed break and also offers a comfortable and caring environment for loved ones who suffer from mild dementia. The photo at right shows a group session in progress at Elders First, including agriscience professor Dr. Tony Johnston, top left, who's a member of the program's board of directors.


And in another July segment, MTSU health professionals talk about the services provided by the Student Wellness, Health and Recreation Center and the Campus Pharmacy. Tabitha "Tabby" Ragland, director of the Campus Pharmacy, is shown at left in a clip from the segment. You can watch "Middle Tennessee Record" daily at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Murfreesboro's Cable Channel 9 and at 1:30 p.m. Sundays on NewsChannel5+, or visit the News and Public Affairs website, www.mtsunews.com , to find a listing of channels and airtimes on cable systems across the Midstate. There's also an archive of shows on YouTube via the link at www.mtsunews.com .photos by News and Public Affairs

>>Top of Page


Get 2010-11 permits by July 30

Faculty and staff now can request a 2010-11 parking permit online from Parking and Transportation Services.

All MTSU employees should have received a packet of parking-permit information, including new instructions for using the Cardinal registration method via PipelineMT, by campus mail, officials said.

The deadline to register for a parking permit is Friday, July 30. After completing registration online, employees may choose to get their new permits by mail or pick them up in person at the Parking and Transportation Services office at 1403 E. Main St. Office hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

White permits, which are available to faculty, administration, staff and graduate teaching assistants, still cost $125. Green permits, which are available to faculty, administration, staff and students, cost $105.

For more information, call Parking and Transportation Services at 615-898-2850.

>>Top of Page


Wireless network update set

Starting Monday, July 26, for a period of up to two weeks, the Information Technology Division will be replacing all components of the wireless network campuswide to increase the network's speed.

The MTSU wireless network will be usable during the project, except when one of the system's approximately 400 transmitters is being replaced in a specific location. During replacement, wireless coverage will drop and may be unusable in that specific location. Ideally, the drop in coverage should be no more than 30 to 60 minutes per location.

Once wireless coverage is detected again, users should reboot their computers to resume network access on campus.

Please call the ITD Help Desk at 615-898-5345 with any questions.

>>Top of Page


Child Development Center earns NAEYC accreditation
by Lisa L. Rollins

MTSU's Child Development Center recently achieved accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation's leading organization of early-childhood professionals.

In the NAEYC's accreditation decision report, the MTSU center, which is housed within the Department of Human Sciences, was commended for its performance in seven of 10 areas evaluated, including:

• knowledgeable, supportive teachers;
• overall leadership and management;
• meeting the needs of the program's children and their families; and
• ongoing assessment of children's learning.

Based in Washington, D.C., the NAEYC's accreditation is a widely recognized sign of high-quality early-childhood education and represents the school's commitment to the development and care of young children.

To earn accreditation, the CDC's staff completed an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program standards and related accreditation criteria.

The center received NAEYC accreditation in June after an on-site visit by assessors to ensure that it meets each of the 10 program standards, such as teaching, leadership and management.

"Many MTSU students from a variety of departments complete practicum and field experiences at the CDC," said Dr. Lana Seivers, dean of MTSU's College of Education. "NAEYC accreditation further assures that these students are observing a program that meets specific standards and is developmentally appropriate for young children.

"This is especially important in our efforts to prepare future teachers of early-childhood education. The entire staff of CDC has done an excellent job in preparation for the site visit and in program delivery throughout the year."

In a June 9 letter to Elaine Palmore, center director, NAEYC officials wrote, "The administration, teaching staff and families of (the) MTSU Child Development Center are all to be congratulated for earning the mark of quality represented by the NAEYC accreditation system."

Located in MTSU's Fairview Building, the CDC exists to serve children and their families, educate MTSU students and serve as a lab for faculty teaching and research. Its programs—an infant-toddler program for 12- to 36-month-olds and a preschool program serving ages 3 to 5—are based on the philosophy that children develop best when adults and caregivers emphasize the total development of the child.

As a training center for students in early-childhood education and related disciplines, the center provides practical experiences in child growth and development as well as in planning, implementing and evaluating activities and curricula.

"We are very proud of our recent accreditation, and yes, we worked many extra hours to complete the necessary paperwork," said Palmore, who led the CDC's accreditation effort. "The program portfolios, compiled by me, seemed endless and impossible at times. There were weekends, holidays and evening sessions to prepare the 10 notebooks, which verified our compliance.

"Many people on campus supported us with letters about our cleaning regime, pest control, heating and A/C airflow, building construction, air quality, etc.," she continued. "Our two master- classroom teachers, Marzee Woodward and Jackie Hamilton, also contributed at great personal expense. We all made sacrifices for a common goal, which was accreditation, and we succeeded."

First opened in 1955, the center's newly acquired accreditation will be valid through July 1, 2015, provided the program's quality is maintained and ongoing NAEYC compliance is upheld. The CDC will be subject to unannounced visits during its multiyear accreditation period.

The NAEYC accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985. The association's program standards and criteria have introduced a new level of quality, accountability and service for parents and children in child-care programs.

Criteria for high quality include all aspects of an early-childhood program: interactions among staff and students, curriculum, staff and parent interactions, administration, staff qualifications and development, staffing patterns, physical environment, health and safety, nutrition and food service, and program evaluation.

For more information about the CDC, including registration information for the fall and spring semesters, please visit www.mtsu.edu/humansciences/childdev_humansciences.shtml .

>>Top of Page


Got chocolate milk?


BUILDING STRONG COWGIRLS—Young visitors to the Tennessee Livestock Center enjoy chocolate milk provided July 5-8 by the MTSU Dairy Barn and Milk Processing Plant during the 39th Tennessee Junior Livestock Exposition. At left, Kendall Garrell, 11, a fifth-grader at Cornersville Elementary School, takes a healthy sip fresh from the cooler.

At right, Jordan Key, 7, a second-grader at Rickman Elementary School in Overton County, and Whitney Brown, 11, a fifth-grader at Northfield Elementary School in Sparta, graciously interrupt their milk break for a photo. Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce representatives provided cookies to go with the milk.

photos submitted

>>Top of Page


See 'Lands Worth Preserving' exhibit at Heritage Center

The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County is currently serving as host for an exhibit of 32 winning photos of the 2008-09 Scenic Tennessee Photo Contest.

Co-sponsored by The Land Trust of Tennessee, the contest's theme is "Lands Worth Preserving." According to organizers' reports, the contest aims to celebrate Tennessee's dwindling farmlands and other scenic landscapes, highlight the role of land trusts in protecting such landscapes and showcase the photographers' art in framing these views and capturing their meaning.

Winning entries in five divisions—adult professional, adult amateur, middle-school student, high-school student and college/trade-school student—are on display through the end of August at the center. Because of the recurring theme of several of the entries, the judges also created a "special subject" division, "Falling Waters."

Marge Davis, vice president of Scenic Tennessee, coordinated the contest.

Judges for the contest were Jeanie Nelson, executive director for The Land Trust of Tennessee; Joy McKenzie, chairwoman of the Department of Photography at Watkins College of Art and Design; and Nancy Rhoda, a retired photographer from The Tennessean.

"Scenic Tennessee has been promoting and advocating for protection of the scenic character of Tennessee both rural and urban for over 20 years," explained Leslee Dodd Karl, president of Scenic Tennessee.

The Heritage Center, located at 225 W. College St., is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and features an exhibit gallery and guided walking tours of the public square on the hour. Group tours are available Monday through Saturday by reservation, and admission is free.

Jennifer Butt, program assistant for the Heritage Center, said the bi-yearly photo contest is an opportunity for those who love Tennessee and the art of photography to highlight the uniqueness of the state and its scenic beauty.

The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County is a joint venture between the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Main Street Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Inc., the City of Murfreesboro and the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. Additional support comes from Rutherford County government and State Farm Insurance.

For more information about the contest, visit www.scenictennessee.org . For more information about the center, call 615-217-8013 or e-mail heritage@mtsu.edu.

>>Top of Page


Challenging schedule awaits 2010 Blue Raider soccer
from MT Athletic Communications

The most difficult nonconference schedule in school history is on the horizon for the Middle Tennessee soccer team, head coach Aston Rhoden said.

The Blue Raiders, who are coming off a 12-6-2 record a year ago, will face a pair of Southeastern Conference foes on the road as well as two Atlantic Coast Conference opponents away from the friendly confines of Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium.

"We will have to be at our best in every game this season as we face teams with fantastic winning traditions and consistency," Rhoden said. "The 2010 schedule will prepare us for SBC play as well as the postseason. I am confident our players will be prepared for such a rigorous schedule, and all are anxiously awaiting the start of training camp."

The slate opens with a road match Friday, Aug. 20, at Mississippi. A week later, MT will be back on the field when it returns home for its next two contests, including the home opener against Wright State on Friday, Aug. 27, and Tennessee Tech two days later.

Following a trip to Huntsville, Ala., to face Alabama A&M, the Blue Raiders will welcome Evansville to Murfreesboro on Sunday, Sept. 5.

The ensuing week pits Middle Tennessee in another set of games in Alabama, first in Birmingham against UAB on Thursday, Sept. 9, then in Tuscaloosa on Sunday, Sept. 12, versus the Crimson Tide.

The Blue Raiders then close the nonconference schedule at the Duke Nike Classic in Durham, N.C., where they will face defending national champion North Carolina in the first match on Friday, Sept. 17, before squaring off against the host Blue Devils to conclude the event on Sunday, Sept. 19.

The Sun Belt portion of the schedule opens with Denver and North Texas at home the following weekend, Friday and Sunday, Sept. 24 and 26. MT will then hit the road for four consecutive road matches, featuring trips to Arkansas and Florida on successive weekends.

Louisiana and UL-Monroe will come to town Friday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 17, for league matchups before Middle Tennessee heads to Mobile, Ala., for a meeting with South Alabama in the final road contest on Thursday, Oct. 21.

The home and regular-season ledger concludes Sunday, Oct. 24, against Troy and Friday, Oct. 29, versus Western Kentucky.

The Sun Belt Tournament will be held Nov. 3-7 in Bowling Green, Ky., with Western Kentucky serving as the host institution.

More information on promotions for home games and those that will be broadcast on www.goblueraiders.com will be released later this summer.


>>Top of Page


Project SEED research gives student 'insight' into college expectations
by Randy Weiler

En route to an undergraduate career studying biochemistry and criminology at East Tennessee State University, Ashley Rambo has had a summer stopover at MTSU, learning various forms of research through the Project SEED program.

"It has been an eye-opening experience," said Rambo, 18, who graduated in the top 10 percent of her senior class at Warren County High School in McMinnville. "It has given me insight in what to expect in college."

Project SEED, which stands for Summer Educational Experience for the Economically Disadvantaged, is sponsored by the American Chemical Society. It's a summer research program that gives high-school juniors and seniors a chance to work with scientist mentors on research projects in industrial, academic and federal laboratories. Participants receive a stipend and learn fundamental laboratory skills and analytical methods during the 10-week program.

While holding her daily lab journal containing hours of data and information related to her research with MTSU chemistry professor Dr. B.G. Ooi, Rambo noted that she's "always loved science and math, my best two subjects."

She's had ties to MTSU through Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science, GRITS—aka Girls Raised in Tennessee Science—and the MTSU Educational Talent Search program, which includes Warren County students.

"I came here not knowing anything," she said. "I learned a whole lot more than I ever dreamed. It's different here doing labs than in a high-school lab. The slightest mistake can mess up the whole experiment—and I've made a lot of mistakes."

Her first project, "Keeping Your Hands Clean," was research that led to a July 9 presentation at the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring in Murfreesboro. The study tried to verify the best method for cleaning hands, whether hand-washing with soap or using hand sanitizer or antibacterial wipes.

"It was to see which one killed the most germs," Rambo said. "They all kill germs; some work better than others."

Another simple Discovery Center project allowed her to show children visiting the center how to make salt crystals and rock candy at home "to get the little kids involved in science and how to use it in their daily life."

Her most recent research project was on Avicel, a pure form of cellulose, which she worked to make "loose so enzymes can digest it."

Rambo, who is required to complete a minimum of 320 hours' work this summer, will receive a $2,800 stipend from the ACS committee on Project SEED. She said she also receives Pell Grant money and funds from the ASPIRE (Access to Student Assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone) program.

Incoming MTSU freshman Tara Greer is in the midst of Project Seed II. Working with chemistry professor Dr. Sing Chong, Greer has expanded on her 2009 Project SEED research, "Infrared Analysis of Sol-Gel Materials."

Greer was the recipient of a $5,000 Ullyot Scholarship, established by the late South Dakota chemist Dr. Glenn Ullyot to recognize American Indian high-school seniors who have demonstrated strong academic potential and a commitment to their communities.

Along with Ooi and Chong, MTSU chemistry professors Drs. Bill Illsley and Judith Iriarte-Gross have helped mentor both Rambo and Greer.

The MTSU Department of Chemistry, the Nashville Section of ACS and the Office of Research Services also are supporting MTSU Project SEED.

>>Top of Page


Faculty/Staff Update

Certifications

Peggy Schroer and Debbie Strobel (athletics) recently received their Certified Professional Secretary designations.

Excursions

Dr. Albert Ogden (geosciences) led a geology field trip for the Southeast Regional Meeting of the National Speleological Society in Monteagle, Tenn., June 17-20. He also published a paper, "Overview of Cave Development in Grundy and Surrounding Counties, Tennessee, with Environmental Ramifications," in the society's guidebook. Ogden and his band followed the field trip with a classic-rock performance for meeting attendees.

Grants

Dr. Sekou Franklin (political science) has received a $1,500 Faculty Research and Creative Activity Grant for his proposal "The Movement for Clean Energy and Green-Collar Jobs in Urban America."

Media

WNPT-TV has featured two MTSU professors on "A Word on Words," hosted by John Seigenthaler, in recent weeks. Dr. Bob Pondillo (electronic media communication) discussed his new book, America's First Network TV Censor: The Work of NBC's Stockton Helffrich, on July 11 and Dr. Jeong "Jid" Hwa Lee (English) discussed her memoir, To Kill a Tiger, on the July 18 show.

Vincent Windrow (Intercultural and Diversity Affairs Center) was featured in "The Impact of Diversity on Higher Education," an article in the 2010 edition of Culture magazine.

Personnel Changes

Angela E. Morrell (Center for Dyslexia) is the new part-time secretary for the Ph.D. in Literacy Studies Program.

Presentations

Professors Debra Sullivan and Deborah Weatherspoon (nursing) presented "Medication Administration" at a June 30 conference at Baptist Hospital in Nashville, "Ushering in a New Era of Professionals: How to Become a Clinical Instructor."

Public Service

Leigh Woodcock (Tennessee Alliance for Lead-safe Kids) manned a booth July 11 during the Uncle Dave Macon Days' sixth annual Community Crossroads Community Services Fair. She provided information about childhood lead poisoning prevention and TALK's various services available to the public to alert them to identification and removal of lead hazards in homes built before 1978.


Get noticed in The Record !

Submit your Faculty/Staff Update items and other news tips to gfann@mtsu.edu by 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, for the Aug. 9 edition of The Record or 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11, for the Aug. 23 back-to-class edition of The Record.


>>Top of Page


Campus Calendar July 26-Aug. 8, 2010

TV Schedule: "Middle Tennessee Record"
Cable Channel 9: Monday-Sunday, 7 a.m., 5 p.m.
NewsChannel 5+: Sundays, 1:30 p.m.
Visit www.mtsunews.com for other cable-outlet airtimes or www.youtube.com/mtsunews for a complete show archive.

Radio Schedule: "MTSU On the Record"
8 a.m. Sundays, WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcasts available anytime at www.mtsunews.com.

Fridays all summer
Student Farmers Market
sponsored by the MTSU Plant and Soil Science Club
1-3 p.m. Fridays (except holidays), Horticulture Center
For information, contact: 615-494-8985.

July 26-30
Camp ENRGY
sponsored by the Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth at MTSU
For standby registration, e-mail dmorgan@mtsu.edu.

International Grand Championship Walking Horse Show
Miller Coliseum
For information, visit www.walkinghorseowners.com .

Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp
For information, visit www.yeahintheboro.org .

July 28-29
CUSTOMS Orientation
All colleges
7:30 a.m., campuswide
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/customs or contact: 615-898-2454.

Thursday, July 29
"Saddle Up for Project Help" Fundraiser
6:30 p.m., Tower Club level, Floyd Stadium
Tickets: $50 per person (includes meal and two drinks)
For information, contact: 615-898-2458.

Saturday, July 31
Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp Showcase
7 p.m., Siegel High School
Tickets: $10 for adults; children 9 and under admitted free
For information, visit www.yeahintheboro.org .

Aug. 3-4
11th Annual McNair Program Research Symposium
Cantrell Hall, Jackson Building
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~mcnair or contact: 615-904-8462.

Thursday, Aug. 5
Tennessee Primary Elections
(Early voting through July 31)
For voting information, visit www.rutherfordcountytn.gov/election or contact: 615-898-7743.


Get noticed in The Record !

Submit your Campus Calendar items and other news tips to gfann@mtsu.edu by 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, for the Aug. 9 edition of The Record or 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 11, for the Aug. 23 back-to-class edition of The Record.

>>Top of Page