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Wellness program launches

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by Gina E. Fann

MTSU faculty and staff are racing to make their hearts healthier by joining a new campuswide wellness initiative.

Eager employees rushed to fill the 100 available openings in the first 10-week session of the MTSU Faculty-Staff Wellness Program, which kicks off Sept. 18, according to Dr. Mark Anshel, program director and professor of health and human performance.

"There is unprecedented enthusiasm on this campus about this program," Anshel said. "It's been a long-needed undertaking, and individuals from all departments, from administrators to secretarial staff, are rushing to embrace improvements in their health and wellness."

Two other program sessions, each with a 100-participant maximum, are set for the spring and summer 2007 semesters. Those tentative dates are Jan. 29-April 13, 2007, and a still-to-be-finalized 10-week period between June and August 2007. Both sessions already are seeing sign-ups, Anshel said.

"We are the only university in Tennessee that will be providing virtually 100 percent financial support [for an employee wellness program]," MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee told the Annual Fall Faculty Meeting. "To ensure the commitment of each participant, there will be a nominal fee of $20-which includes a T-shirt for those who remain in the program.

"The T-shirt you receive will be a size smaller than you now wear," McPhee joked.

Dr. Tony Johnston, Faculty Senate president, initiated the program to promote wellness on campus. He and Anshel submitted a proposal to McPhee this summer for approval.

"President McPhee deserves recognition and appreciation for his willingness to lend financial support to a program that will improve the health and both physical and mental well-being of his faculty and staff," Anshel said.

The program, which also will serve as a study called "The Effect of Personal Coaching on Improving Healthy Lifestyle Habits," will feature:

- individual fitness coaching;

- weekly nutritional counseling from a registered dietician and two graduate nutrition students; and

- guidance from a life-skills coach who will help participants target mental barriers and replace bad habits with healthy ones.

Anshel also will offer tips on applying healthy habits, such as time-management skills, to the workplace.

"We plan to take very good care of our participants," Anshel said. "There's no question that lives are going to change permanently as a result of this program."

It begins Monday, Sept. 18, with a 90-minute orientation in Room 100 of the James Union Building. Those who can't attend the Sept. 18 session must attend orientation in the same room on Wednesday, Sept. 20, from 5 until 6:30 p.m., Anshel said.

For more information or to sign up for the program, contact Anshel at manshel@mtsu.edu.

Beat Tech on, off the field: Roll up your sleeves!

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by Randy Weiler

MTSU's athletic marketing rolled up its sleeves and conceived the idea. Student Programming, with the Student Government Association and MT Athletics, got their hearts pumping and implemented it.

In conjunction with the Blue Raiders' 6 p.m. Sept. 14 home football game against old rival Tennessee Tech, students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are being encouraged to "Get Pumped for MT Football" and "Donate Blood-Wreck Tech!" during an American Red Cross blood drive.

The MTSU community can donate from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sept. 12-13 in Keathley University Center Room 322. (Tech held its drive Aug. 30-31.) The winner will be announced at halftime during the nationally televised (ESPNU) game.

"It's a way to get the community and campus involved," said Jennifer Kirk, event coordination, student programming. "We want to see who can donate the most blood. It's for a good cause."

Kirk said the MT-Tech blood drive was crafted as a way to "try to instigate a rivalry. They've not played in a while (eight years)."

Kirk said blood donation guidelines require donors to be at least 17 years old, at least 110 pounds, "healthy" and to not have donated blood in the last 56 days.

"'Healthy' means that you feel well and can perform normal activities," Kirk noted. "If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure, 'healthy' also means that you're being treated and the condition is under control."

MT Athletics' Andrea Curran and SGA's Shane Fortner and Meagan Flippin joined Rich Kershaw, director of student programming, Student Life's Jonathan Pursley and News and Public Affairs personnel on the blood drive committee.

For more information, contact Kirk at jkirk@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2590, or visit www.redcross.org.

IN BRIEF

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CHP co-sponsors Sept. 12 town hall meeting

MTSU alumnus David Brown, executive vice president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, will be the featured speaker during a Tuesday, Sept. 12, town hall meeting in Murfreesboro at 7 p.m. at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 315 E. Main St. The free and open event is co-sponsored by the Center for Historic Preservation, Main Street Murfreesboro and the Tennessee Preservation Trust. For more information, contact the CHP at 615-898-2947 or Main Street Murfreesboro at 615-895-1887.

NPR's Terry Gross to speak Sept. 19 in JUB

Terry Gross, host of National Public Radio's "Fresh Air with Terry Gross," will lecture at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. The talk is free and open to the public, but tickets are required for admission. Ticketholders from Gross's original (canceled) April appearance will be admitted first; non-ticketholders will then be admitted based on available seating. For more information, call 615-898-5118 or e-mail mjbarr@mtsu.edu.

Expand girls' horizons: register for conference

Registration is open for the 2006 Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science. The conference for girls in grades 5-8 will be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, across the MTSU campus. Open to the first 300 girls who register, EYH will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on campus. To register, visit www.mtsu.edu/~EYH and look for the registration button on the left side. Complete, print out and mail the form to Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, c/o MTSU EYH, P.O. Box 161, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132.

For the Record-NPA: Consultants, and much more, ready to help you

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by Tom Tozer

The staff in the News and Public Affairs office would like to welcome all faculty and staff back to campus for a new academic year. We'd like to remind you of who we are and what we can do for you.

First, please use us as your public relations consultants. Sure, we can write a news release for your event or accomplishment. We can put together a public service announcement or an e-mail message. But given the proper lead time, we can do so much more. We can help you brainstorm from day one. At the moment you decide to organize a conference, seminar, panel discussion, or open house-or need to disseminate information to a wide and varied audience about a new program-contact our office immediately, even if it's six months in advance. We welcome the opportunity to help you lay out a promotion plan, one that may utilize several communication vehicles.

Please don't shortchange yourself. Some of the finest events on campus have not received their fair share of publicity because our office was given only a few days' notice. Involve us early! The more time we have to plan, the more publicity options we can consider. If your event is worth pitching to C-SPAN, for example, we need to pitch it two months in advance. If your conference will involve several speakers from across the country, the sooner we can contact those people, the better-perhaps for a phone interview and story advance, headshot or to determine their access to media once they arrive on campus. Simply put, the effectiveness of our publicity efforts is in direct proportion to the time that we have to plan that publicity.

Second, your expertise is our lifeblood. MTSU has become the go-to university in the area for expert commentary because (a) we make ourselves accessible to media; (b) we drop what we're doing and accommodate a reporter's needs; and (c) we provide rock-solid faculty expertise that is substantial and reliable. Media know that. They have come to expect that of us.

In order to be responsive to media's needs, however, we need you-the faculty- to provide us with your areas of expertise. And we need you to be willing to interact with reporters-in person, on the phone or on-camera. When MTSU responds to media in a timely fashion, media come back to us again and again-resulting in our share (hopefully more than our share) of ink and air. The more people hear and see Middle Tennessee State University, the more they realize MTSU is an important source of news commentary and expertise. Perception is the invisible ink in the news industry. It's important that MTSU be perceived as a major player ... by being a major player.

Third, please access our Web site at www.mtsunews.com. You will find a wealth of information available to you, the community and the media. Our site includes past and current issues of The Record and The Alumni Record, the NPA Experts List and Speaker's Bureau, "On the Record" radio programs, our "Middle Tennessee Record" TV program, podcasts, audio clips, our NPA workshop that instructs you on how our office can help make your event even more successful-and "Today's Response," our daily media tip sheet.

While you're browsing the site, please go to "Experts List," click on it, then click on "Expert's Form." Fill it out and e-mail it to us, if you haven't yet done so. You will then be among our pool of experts for "Today's Response."

One more thought about our PR workshop: It travels. We presented it for the entire campus last spring, and we're doing so Sept. 11 for the Faculty Senate. If you would like us to provide a session just for your department, please contact us at 615-898-2919.

Before you leave our Web site, click on "Staff" at the top. Not only will you see our smiling mugs, you'll discover the "beats" that each of us covers on this campus. When you have news to report, look up the NPA officer who covers that beat and call him or her.

Remember, use us as PR consultants ... but contact us early, early, early!

Share your expertise with us. Finally, visit our Web site. We're here to showcase you and everything Raider blue!

Tom Tozer is director of the Office of News and Public Affairs. He can be reached via e-mail at ttozer@mtsu.edu.

JAWC welcomes new director

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by Gina K. Logue

Terri R. Johnson, director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ind., assumed her new duties as director of MTSU's June Anderson Women's Center Sept. 5.

Johnson replaces Dr. Carol Ann Baily, who has served as interim director since the departure of Dr. Susan Trentham in August 2005.

Calling her new job "too good to be true," Johnson says she would like to "hit the ground running" by networking without making changes too abruptly.

Johnson has held her current position at Saint Mary's since August 2000. Her duties include creating community-wide programs, forums, training and educational programs to facilitate multicultural awareness.

Previously, Johnson was a project coordinator at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich., as well as a volunteer specialist with the American Red Cross, a community liaison/job coach with Michigan Ability Partners, coordinator of student placement at Ross Technical Institute and a vocational counselor at a women's center, all in Ann Arbor, Mich.

"You can work with different groups in the region and combine that with a love and passion for women's issues," Johnson says in explaining how her experience will enhance her JAWC directorship.

"It takes that human relationship. You have to bond with people."

Johnson says she wants her tenure as director to focus on the "whole woman" in health, career, business, international relations and all aspects of life. She wants the JAWC to "broaden the vocabulary of what it means to be a woman." To that end, Johnson says she wants to work closely with student groups and to be inclusive of various elements of the campus community.

"People were wonderful," Johnson says of the individuals she met during her job interview. "Their passion for MTSU and their caring made me feel so welcome."

A native of Rayville, La., Johnson earned her bachelor's degree in communication and her master's degree in women's studies from Eastern Michigan. Her honors include the 2003 "Women Honoring Women" award and the 2002 Student Leadership Appreciation Award from Saint Mary's College.

The June Anderson Women's Center was created in 1977, making it the oldest university women's center in Tennessee. Among the programs and events sponsored by the center are free legal clinics, brown-bag luncheon speakers on professional development topics and educational campaigns about sexual assault and domestic violence.

For more information about the center and its services, call 615-898-2193, or send an e-mail to jawc@ mtsu.edu.

MT senior set for Miss America pageant

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by Jamil Price

Rachelle Phillips, a senior at MTSU, recently won the Miss Kentucky pageant held in Lexington.

The pageant took place July 22 with 29 women competing for the title. By winning Miss Kentucky, Phillips received an $8,000 scholarship and also will get the opportunity to compete in the Miss America Pageant.

"Winning Miss Kentucky," said Phillips, "is a dream come true for me. I have known since I was 12 that I wanted to be Miss America, and I have worked very hard to get to this point in my life."

She began competing in beauty pageants at the age of 12. As a youngster, before she started competing, she confessed that she was regarded as a tomboy.

"As a child, I had a reading disability," Phillips said. "I worked very hard to overcome that disability. Now my passion is reading and writing."

Phillips is involved in various literacy organizations to help promote reading.

"I have always tried to make good decisions and be a good role model for today's youth," she added. "I am thankful to God for allowing me this opportunity."

The two-hour Miss America Pageant will air live from Las Vegas on CMT beginning at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 29, 2007.

For more information about the pageant, and for a profile of Phillips, visit www.missamerica.org.

Jamil Price is a freshman journalism major at the University of Tennessee and a summer INROADS intern in the Office of News and Public Affairs.

Kelly elected to marine educators board

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by Randy Weiler

Dr. Padgett Kelly received a prestigious distinction when he was elected recently to the National Marine Educators Association board of directors.

The appointment is a three-year term that will extend until 2009. The association is a 1,200-member body with 16 state chapters that include Puerto Rico and Hawaii, said Paula Keener-Chavis, director of ocean education for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Charleston, S.C.

"We are proud of Padgett and his accomplishments," Keener-Chavis said. "He has been an NMEA member since 1986. He always has been involved in the (national) conference and always willing to participate and help assist conference planners. He has wanted to take a more active role.

"With Padgett's track record with all his help with students and Project Wild and Project Wild Aquatic, as well as other work in aquatic marine education programs, this positions him to work well with the board."

For Kelly, a professor of biology and member of the Center for Environmental Education staff based in the Fairview Building, the NMEA board position is yet another accolade in a career full of achievements.

"I am extremely honored to be elected to the board of this organization," he said. "I'm excited and looking forward to having an impact on marine education and representing Tennessee and MTSU in this organization. ... In my field (marine biology), it's about as high as I can go."

At this year's national conference in New York City, Kelly was appointed to a national conference committee to help conference-hosting states plan for their events. He said Tennessee will host the 2010 conference, which is likely to be held in Gatlinburg.

The 2001 NMEA Outstanding Teacher Award recipient received the Project Learning Tree Facilitator of the Year Award from the Tennessee Forestry Association Sept. 7 at the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville. He has other numerous awards and honors to his credit.

Kelly said the New Bedford (Mass.) Whaling Museum has asked him to produce a "How to Build a Whale" segment based on his years of whale programs for elementary-school students throughout Tennessee and surrounding states.

150+ employers, grad schools await: Fall Career Day is 'good opportunity' for students\

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by Doug Williams

More than 150 top-name employers as well as graduate school recruiters will meet MTSU students at the annual Career Day on campus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21.

The fair will include representatives from Cingular Wireless, Disney, Dell and Wells Fargo, as well as recruiters from Belmont, Vanderbilt, Mercer and the University of Tennessee. A complete list of recruiters planning to attend Career Day is on the Career and Employment Center Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~career.

This will be the 25th anniversary of the event, which will be held on the Murphy Center track. Students should bring their IDs for admittance.

The annual Career Day activities are an excellent way for students to begin the networking process that will assist in their future job search, said Martha Turner, director of the Career and Employment Center.

"We encourage all seniors to bring their resumes and to dress appropriately," Turner said. "We expect over 150 employers to be on campus, and we feel this is a good opportunity for students. It can take a minimum of three to six months for students to find the right job, and the career fair is an excellent way to start their search."

Since Career Day is an informal gathering of business representatives, Turner is encouraging all students to attend the event. That's because they can learn about the duties and expectations of business professionals, get information on part-time employment and internship opportunities and be eligible for a variety of door prizes.

Career Day is just one of many services provided by the Career Center to assist students in planning their careers, Turner said. Other services include eRecruiting (a Web-based referral system), resume writing and interview preparation workshops, other special events and career days, and a career resource library.

Two recent graduates who used the center's services recently contacted the office to express their appreciation.

"I'm a recent grad and I wanted to thank you for referring my resume to various employers," Holly Stevenson told Turner and her staff. "I interviewed for a position I wanted and was offered the job just two weeks after graduation."

Linda Reynolds also received an offer soon after graduation and even had more than one company interested in hiring her.

"Just a line to let you know I've found a position. . . . This company sounds like a wonderful opportunity," Reynolds wrote to the center. "From the seven resumes sent from companies listed here (at MTSU), I've had three calls for interviews. Thanks for all your help."

Students are encouraged to stop by the Career Center, located in Room 328 of the Keathley University Center, to visit with one of the staff members and to pick up a student career guide. The center also has career coordinators and satellite offices for the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (Jones Hall 309), Business (BAS S123), and Education, Liberal Arts and Mass Communication (all temporarily in KUC 328).

For more information on Career Day or other career-planning opportunities, students may call 615-898-5732 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday or visit the center's Web site anytime.

Excellence in Aviation party raises $19.5K

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by Randy Weiler

Aerospace alumni have collaborated to generate nearly $20,000 toward student scholarships.

The group, led by Bruce Thomas, husband-wife alumni Jamie and Linda Smith, Southerland Mattress Co. owner Herman Southerland (father of alumna Stephanie Southerland) and others, generated $19,500 for scholarships and nearly $25,000 altogether from the third annual Excellence in Aviation Scholarship fund-raiser.

Thomas (B.S. '97) and his wife Rachel once again offered their Mt. Juliet home on Old Hickory Lake as the site for the party that began with 26 people attending in 2004 and grew to 250 this year. The event is always held the third Saturday in July.

Alumni, aerospace faculty and personnel and students attended this year's party. Companies represented by alumni include Air Tran Airways, FedEx, UPS and Southwest Airlines, alumnus Thomas said.

"It was pretty successful," Thomas said of the fund-raising party. "We had alumni from Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, the Middle Tennessee area, Memphis, Knoxville and Greeneville."

"The purpose of the party is to create an endowment," added Steve Gossett, associate professor of aerospace, adding that after expenses, "that's what the $19,500 went to."

The Excellence in Aviation Scholarships provide four $1,000 scholarships a year that go to two male and two female students, Thomas said.

Southerland Mattress Co. donated $2,000, Thomas said.

"One of the goals of the party is not only to raise money," he said. "Aviation is all about networking.

"We try and set up students and these recent graduates with people who have made it to the big leagues. Every year they come and talk to others who are further along in their careers."

Alumni Relations Assistant Director Allison Payne helped with registration and ideas for future parties, Thomas said.

One hundred thirty pounds of barbecue was served, and a country music group, the Travis Birch Band, performed on a floating stage. Gibson and Copley guitar companies donated items for a silent auction, Thomas said. The Copley guitar was autographed by country superstar Gretchen Wilson.

Four pairs of airline tickets, a truck bed liner and airplane rides on MTSU airplanes were auctioned. Aerospace airport employee Matt Taylor brought a boat for rides on Old Hickory Lake.

Paul Mosey, chief flight instructor since January, joined aerospace students in helping with party set-up a day early along with alumnus Tim Cole.

Matt Taylor, Steve Gossett, Jerry Hill, Joe Hawkins, Terry Dorris and Jeremy Woodside were among the aerospace faculty in attendance.

$700,000 grant will finish observatory

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from Staff Reports

MTSU will use a $700,000 grant from NASA to complete enhancements at the university's new observatory, officials said.

The grant will enable MTSU to finish the observatory complex by outfitting the area with more equipment, including a dome to house the university's telescope. It will be moved from its current location near the recreation center to an area adjacent to the plaza.

"We are excited about the opportunity to complete the plaza with this grant," said Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost.

"The observatory is an exceptional resource not only for students and faculty but also for the entire Murfreesboro community."

Congressman Bart Gordon secured the funding last year as part of a federal appropriations bill. The money is now being released to MTSU through the grant. Previous funding secured by Gordon enabled the university to create the plaza last year.

"MTSU's community outreach programs are phenomenal, and this observatory will provide another great resource for Middle Tennessee residents and students," said Gordon, the ranking member of the House Science Committee, which oversees NASA.

"When completed, this observatory will serve as a powerful tool for teaching our children the importance of a strong math and science education."

Located in the southwest corner of the area between Peck Hall and Cope Administration Building known as Walnut Grove, the plaza is surrounded by a series of 12 uniformly spaced columns that serve as pointers to help observers locate astronomical objects or track the apparent motion of the sun.

Visitors to the observatory can learn basic principles of celestial navigation, use constellations to tell time and measure the Earth's rotation rate.

University programs currently in place include astronomy laboratory courses, math and science enhancement programs for public-school teachers and monthly "First Friday Star Parties." The observatory also is a popular destination for school field trips and visits from local astronomy clubs.

"This new facility will enhance the university's astronomy program and provide the public with a unique place to learn more about a fascinating science," said Gordon, an MTSU alumnus.

"Much of today's technology was developed through our nation's space program. If we as a country are to remain at the forefront of technological innovation and space exploration, we have to ensure tomorrow's engineers and scientists have state-of-the-art equipment and facilities with which to learn."

Alumna takes reins of Seigenthaler Chair

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by Gina E. Fann

Respected entertainment journalist, professor and MTSU alumna Beverly Keel will lead the university's Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies into its third decade as the chair's new director.

Keel, a Nashville native, earned her bachelor's degree in mass communication from MTSU and her master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She is a professor in the Department of Recording Industry, where she teaches courses in entertainment journalism, music publicity and artist management and has twice been named to "Who's Who Among American Teachers." She's also a nationally recognized arts/entertainment journalist and entertainment industry expert.

"Professor Keel's appointment is a significant milestone in the contributions of the Seigenthaler Chair at MTSU," said Dr. Anantha Babbili, dean of the College of Mass Communication. "She will bring new insights into programming and vitality to the many activities of this important facet of the College.

"Her feel for American journalism, her professional standing in the journalistic community and her Columbia J-School pedigree of cutting-edge journalistic practice puts her in this unique position to enhance the Chair's contributions to the democratic health of the nation."

Keel's work has appeared in USA Today and Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, New York and InStyle magazines, among others. Music publications for which she has written include Music Row, Country Music, Gavin, Guitar World, EQ, New Country and Country Weekly. A correspondent for People magazine for nearly a decade, Keel also is editor of CMT Life. Set to Music, a monthly country music newspaper supplement with a circulation of 250,000.

A former music industry columnist for the Nashville Scene and Nashville Banner newspapers, Keel's journalism has received awards from the Associated Press and the Association of American Newsweeklies. She is a contributing author to books such as The Encyclopedia of Country Music and A Boy Named Sue and a regular commentator on popular music for such media outlets as VH-1, A&E, National Public Radio, E! Entertainment News and Bravo.

n her new role, Keel, also a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Society of Professional Journalists, says she intends to "increase the (program's) presence on a national level and allow it to facilitate discussion of current events in journalism.

"I want the Seigenthaler Chair to reflect the life's work of John Seigenthaler, which has been to promote discussion of First Amendment issues and demand excellence in journalism," Keel added.

In 1986, the university instituted The John Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies, honoring veteran journalist John Seigenthaler's lifelong commitment to free expression. The Chair funds activities related to freedom of the press and other topics of concern for contemporary journalism, including programs featuring visiting professors and visiting lecturers at MTSU, research related to free expression, and seminars and meetings related to the study, promotion and defense of free speech and First Amendment values.

It was created under the Tennessee Chairs of Excellence program with an initial endowment of approximately $1.3 million, an amount that has grown to more than $3 million today.

"Beverly's background in both scholarly and professional journalism will mean that the Chair will continue to have outstanding leadership and direction," Seigenthaler said of the new director.

"She has the creativity and the dedication and the commitment to keep the Chair on the cutting edge of both journalism education and professional journalism."

Webcasts give new angle to K-12 videoconferences

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by Randy Weiler

For the first time, MTSU's Satellite Videoconferencing Center will be Webcasting K-12 programming.

"We are really excited to be able to reach every school in Tennessee with high-quality student enrichment and professional development programming," said Dr. Connie Schmidt, director, MTSU Instructional Technology Support Center.

"This expansion in our K-12 audience has been made possible by the generous cooperation and support of the network services folks in the Information Technology Division."

The one-hour Enrichment Programs for Students air at 9 a.m. Tuesdays starting Sept. 19 through Nov. 28. No program will air Nov. 21, and the programs for Oct. 3 and Oct. 17 will be prerecorded.

The one-hour Professional Development Programs for Teachers air beginning at 3:30 p.m. from Sept. 14 through Nov. 30. No program will air Nov. 23 or Oct. 5.

"The programs on the schedule for students and teachers cover a wide range of topics, including history, geography, math, science, reading, health, career planning and the arts," Schmidt said.

Schmidt added that many of these programs were produced with public and private partners, such as "The Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt" Sept. 19, "Hands-on with Archeology and Artifacts at Stones River National Battlefield" Sept. 26 and "Amphibians and Reptiles" Nov. 14.

Presenters for these programs include educators from the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Stones River National Battlefield and the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Schmidt said, adding that MTSU faculty and staff also have made significant contributions to the fall schedule.

"A three-part series of programs, 'Knowing, Teaching and Learning American History,' which will air in September and October, was produced in collaboration with Dr. Rebecca Conard in the Department of History and funded by a grant from the Cumberland River Valley Consortium," Schmidt said.

Two programs were collaborations with the Tennessee Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Center: "What Does It Take to be a Rocket Scientist," airing Oct. 24, and "Becoming a Rocket Scientist: Getting Your Students Excited about Careers in Space" on Nov. 16, she added.

Other MTSU presenters include faculty and staff from the MTSU Career Center, the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area of the Center for Historic Preservation and the Departments of Elementary and Special Education and Health and Human Performance.

MTSU faculty and students, K-12 teachers and students and community members in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County may participate in our programs by television on the MTSU Educational Resource Channel, ERC@MT (Channel 9 on the Murfreesboro cable system or Channel 30 on the campus cable system). Internet viewers will need a high-speed connection and Windows Media Player to watch on the Web.

For full student and teacher programming schedules and links to the Webcasts, visit www.mtsu.edu/~itsc.

Gift to aid riding center

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by Randy Weiler

Horse science and MTSU recently became the beneficiary of a generous gift from alumni Lanas and Julie Smith of Boulder, Colo., university officials announced.

The Smiths (both B.S. '79) made their gift Aug. 7 for the completion of the student riding center arena, which will be enclosed behind the Horse Science Center next to Tennessee Miller Coliseum on Thompson Lane.

"We want to see kids continue to further their education in horse activities," said Lanas Smith, a native of Lebanon who has had a career in animal nutrition.

"It's going to be a tremendous help to our students," Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost, said of the donation.

"Rainy weather won't affect us in terms of functionality. There are great safety factors as well. (Once enclosed) this will make it (student riding center arena) last longer. We're grateful."

Dr. David Whitaker, director, public service-horse science, and MTSU faculty member since 1982, said the Smiths "are wonderful supporters of the program. They kept their ties to the university."

Julie Murphy Smith, a native of Tullahoma, said their gift was largely in part to the years of effort by Whitaker and equestrian Coach Anne Brzezicki.

"It all has to do with the fact Anne and Dave have done so much for the program," Julie Smith said. "It is very deserved. They have worked hard through the years."

Jim Van Wicklin, development officer for the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, said he is "grateful to see alumni making gifts of this magnitude. I hope they are setting an example for others."

Others attending the informal and formal check presentation and special presentation to the Smiths were Kirk Purdom, director of the MTSU Office of Development, and Dr. Tom Cheatham, dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

Military science salutes new commander

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by John C. Lynch

Lt. Col. Michael T. Walsh is the new chairman and professor of the Department of Military Science at MTSU.

"It's an awesome responsibility," said Walsh, referring to his new post. "My first tour of duty was as a lieutenant in Germany before the Berlin Wall came down. Our new cadets only know about that from history books. We're in a period of instability since the Soviet Union's collapse, and our military needs to be adaptable and flexible."

Born in Westwood, N.J., and raised in Ridgefield, Conn., Walsh is a distinguished military graduate of Northeastern University, earning a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1987. He earned an MBA from Troy State University and a master's in defense studies from King's College, London, England. He is also a graduate of the British Command and Staff College and the Joint Forces Staff College and has completed Ranger and Airborne training and field artillery officer basic and advanced courses.

According to Walsh, he and his wife, Trish, met while both were in the military. She is currently a pharmaceutical sales representative.

"We came to Murfreesboro scouting a year ago, and we both loved it," he said. "I think we've found a home. I'm committed to being a part of this community."

He said he was influenced to join the military by the Iranian hostage situation in 1979.

"I tried ROTC in college and liked it," he said. "I tell cadets they don't need to feel like they need to spend 20 years in the military. The skills you can learn here can be used throughout a career, even if you only spend three or four years in the military. We want to turn out not just great officers but great civilians also."

Before this assignment, Walsh served as the division chief for security cooperation in the Strategy, Policy and Plans Directorate, U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla. His first troop assignment was with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery, 3rd Armored Division in Kirchgoens, Germany, where he served as a fire support officer, platoon leader and executive officer. He was a firing battery platoon leader during Operation Desert Shield/Storm and served at the Pentagon as a systems integrator for command and control and fire support systems, among other career postings.

Walsh's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Ranger Tab and Parachutist Badge.

Show features graduates from 5 decades; 24 alumni contribute art for 1st-time exhibit


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by Lisa L. Rollins

For the first time ever, MTSU's Department of Art will sponsor an exhibit featuring the works of 24 of its alumni, according to Dr. Lon Nuell, art professor and director of the university's Todd Gallery.

Nuell said the upcoming exhibition is the first in an ongoing series designed to recognize art department graduates for their commitment to art-making, sharing not only their work but also the passion they have for their discipline.

The artists participating in the inaugural alumni show, which is free and open to the public, represent a range of years beginning with 1960 and ending with a 2004 graduate.

"(The artists) are active educators in higher education, professionals in graphic design or independent artists," Nuell observed. "Their works are seen across the country and internationally in galleries and museums, found in private collections and seen in regional and national publications."

Opening Monday, Sept. 18, in the Todd Gallery, the show will run through Friday, Oct. 6, and include a closing reception for the artists from 4 to 7 p.m. in the gallery lobby.

Paintings, prints, clay work, sculpture and graphic design imagery will be among the media featured in the show, with each artist represented by at least three images.

The department's first graduate, Howard Hull, now a retired professor of art education living in Louisville, Tenn., will be among those whose works are part of the alumni show, as will Jere Chumley, the program's second graduate and now a retired professor of fine arts who resides in Cleveland, Tenn.

"Seventy years ago, in 1926, Hester Rogers Ray was hired to teach art education courses at Middle Tennessee State Teachers College to elementary education majors," Nuell explained. "But it was not until 1960 that Howard Hull became the first graduate of the art department, receiving a B.S. in art education, with Jere Chumley following in the next year.

"Both (Hull and Chumley) studied with David LeDoux, retired professor of art, and the late Fred Reubens, who was chairman of the two-person department," added Nuell, who noted that art has since grown to a faculty of 24 with more than 200 majors in three degree areas-a bachelor of fine arts in the areas of painting, clay, printmaking, graphic design and sculpture; a bachelor of science in art education; and a bachelor of arts program in art history.

The alumni show also will feature works by '70s graduates Charles Massey Jr., printmaking professor at Ohio State University; photographer E.K. Waller of Los Angeles; Janet Gilmore-Bryant, an artist/teacher in Richmond, Va.; jewelry designer Margaret Ellis of Nashville; artist/teacher Vicky Randall; comics artist/author/teacher Carol Tyler of Cincinnati; Wayne White, a Los Angeles-based artist and video production designer; and the late Mary Stanley, a sculptor.

1980s art alumni who will participate in the show are John Marshall, an art coordinator and painter residing in Meridian, Miss.; Julie Jack, professor of visual arts at Tennessee Wesleyan; and artist Janet McNutt of Cleveland, Tenn. Additionally, participating alumni who graduated during the '90s will include artist Steve Sanders; graphic designer Kevin Leonard of Oak Park, Ill.; Knoxville-based artist Dawn Kunkel; painter Tim Hooper of Nashville; graphic designer Jeff Porter; and Aaron Grayum, a painter/writer/graphic designer residing in Nashville.

More recent art alumni, all of whom graduated between 2000-2004, also will take part in the show, including clay artist Dawn Perault of St. Paul, Minn.; printmaker Tracey Goodrich of Minneapolis; Nashville's Hans Schmitt-Ratzen, an artist and preparator for the Frist Center for Visual Arts; painter Dan Hall; and Patrick Brien of Nashville, an artist and preparator for the Cumberland Gallery.

The Todd Gallery at MTSU is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and is closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free. For more information regarding the show or artists, please contact Nuell at 615-898-2505.

'Mind Mapping' workshops offer better study tips

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by Gina K. Logue

Regardless of how experienced students are, they always can use new and better study tips to make the semester flow more smoothly.

That's the goal of "Mind Mapping," two free workshops set Thursday, Sept. 14, 1-4 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. in the Hazlewood Dining Room of the James Union Building.

These workshops are sponsored by the Adult Services Center, Older Wiser Learners and the Pinnacle Honor Society for nontraditional students.

Dr. Carol Ann Baily, Adult Services Center director, says Mind Mapping is a "technique for note- taking, organizing your notes and reading materials for test preparation, even for generating ideas for writing papers."

The workshops will be led by Plymouth, Mich.-based Jamie Nast, a nationally acknowledged expert on helping individuals organize their thinking.

In 1998, Nast and her husband founded NastGroup, a consultancy organization specializing in optimizing mind potential. Her first book, Idea Mapping: How to Access Your Hidden Brain Power, Learn Faster, Remember More, and Achieve Success in Business, is slated for publication Sept. 20 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Mind Mapping is made possible by a grant from the Student Activity Fee funds. Reservations will be made on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to 50 students per session.

To reserve a space for either workshop, call the Adult Services Center at 615-898-5989.

People Around Campus: Exhibit showcases professor's 'whimsical' art

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by Lisa L. Rollins

Nearly two decades of costumes and wearable art created by Lori Gann-Smith, an assistant professor in MTSU's speech and theatre department, will be on display through Sept. 28 at the Alabama A&M University Art Gallery in Norman, Ala.

"Most people on earth wear some type of clothing on a regular basis from within the first hours of birth until they die," Gann-Smith said regarding her current exhibit of art apparel-which features 15 to 20 pieces made from materials such as hand-dyed silk and peacock feathers as well as wire and garbage bags.

"In fact," she added, "most of us are laid to rest in clothing. For centuries, clothing and adornment have been the indicators of status and station, of conformity and rebellion, of tastes and attitudes. Acceptance, disguise, impression and recognition all hinge in some degree upon what we wear."

An award-winning artist and costume/makeup/props designer, Gann-Smith said the show "is basically a retrospective of my work, representing pieces that I designed and created as far back as during my undergraduate days here at MTSU and throughout my professional career.

"The work includes both costumes designed for specific show as well as pieces of wearable art," she continued. "Most of the wearable art is very whimsical and playful, as I see what we wear as a reflection of our personalities or character, and I tend toward the whimsical and playful."

Gann-Smith-whose on-campus office also displays a few of her costume designs-said that although she had not pursued a formal exhibit opportunity, when AAMU extended the invitation to show her pieces, she was delighted to share her art with others.

"Some of the wearable pieces reflect my interests in playing with what is acceptable and unacceptable in our culture and what things should be like as opposed to the way they are," she noted. "I think there is a very fine line between clothing and costume.

"As we examine clothing, or costume, throughout history, we see patterns in 'periodic style' and identify the clothing of an age with that prevalent style and not by the individual's choice of what he or she would like to have worn," she continued. "People wore what was proper ... or improper. Even 'radicals' had a dress code that set them apart and served as an identifier of their politics, religious preference or some other predilection."

A native of Gallatin, Gann-Smith maintains a private studio where she creates art apparel and commissioned works. She has designed for a number of producing organizations and production companies, including the Georgia Repertory Theatre, Arkansas Repertory, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, University of Georgia, MTSU Theatre, Georgia College and University and the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts, among many others.

Additionally, her work is included in the 2005 comedy "Tom and Francie," a feature film recently released on DVD. Gann-Smith also garnered a Tennessean Theatre Award for best costume design for her creations for the Nashville Shakespeare Festival's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

The AAMU Art Gallery, located in the Morrison Fine Arts Building, is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on weekends by appointment. Admission is free and open to the public, including a reception in honor of Gann-Smith set for 6-8 p.m. on the closing night of the exhibit.

For more information regarding Gann-Smith's exhibit at AAMU, including directions to the gallery, please contact the gallery directly at 256-372-4072.

The Record, September 11, 2006, V15.05
Campus Calendar

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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.

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.
Murphy Center Dance Studio A
For information, e-mail: lindyfiend@gmail.com.

Monday, Sept. 11
Honors Lecture Series
Dr. Clay Harris, "Angry Earth: Waiting for the Big One"
3-3:50 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-7611.

Faculty Senate Meeting
4:30 p.m., JUB 100
For information, contact: 615-898-2582.

David Loucky Faculty Recital
trombone and euphonium with Caleb Harris, piano
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Sept. 12-13
"Get Pumped for MT Football" Blood Drive
10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, KUC 322
For information, visit www.redcross.org
or contact: 615-898-2590.

Tuesday, Sept. 12
Institutional Review Board
8 a.m., Gore Center Conference Room
For information, contact: 615-494-8918.

Sept. 14-16
World Champion Spotted Saddle Horse Show
7 p.m., Tenn. Livestock Center
For information, contact: 615-890-2864.

Thursday, Sept. 14
EXL Faculty Showcase Series: "General Experiential Learning Concepts"
11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., PH 106
For information, contact: 615-494-7671
or e-mail ltanditc@mtsu.edu.

Blue Raider Football vs. Tennessee Tech
"Faith and Family Day"
6 p.m., Floyd Stadium
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

Sept. 15-17
Music City Arabian & Open Dressage Show
Tennessee Miller Coliseum
For information, visit: www.mtaha.com/music_city_06.htm.

Friday, Sept. 15
Women's Volleyball vs. Temple
4 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Women's Soccer vs. Lipscomb
7 p.m., Blue Raider Field
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Saturday, Sept. 16
Women's Volleyball vs. Syracuse
9 a.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Sunday, Sept. 17
Constitution Day
Observance of the 219th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

"MTSU On the Record-VSA arts Tennessee"
Guest: Lori Kissinger
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com.

Veterans' Memorial 5K Run
2 p.m., Peck Hall
Registration: $20 after Sept. 10
For information, visit www.active.com
or contact: 1-888-682-7682.

Sept. 18-Oct. 8
Inaugural Alumni Art Show
Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Todd Gallery
For information, contact: 615-898-5653.

Monday, Sept. 18
Honors Lecture Series
Dr. Jim Henry, "Global Warming: Facts and Fiction"
3-3:50 p.m., HONR 106
For information, contact: 615-898-7611.

Maya Stone Faculty Recital
bassoon, with Caleb Harris
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Tuesday, Sept. 19
Terry Gross, host of National Public Radio's "Fresh Air"
8 p.m., JUB Tennessee Room
Free, but tickets are required
For information, contact: 615-898-5118.

Sept. 20-23
National Walking Horse Association Show
Tennessee Miller Coliseum
No admission charge
For information, visit: www.nwha.com.

Wednesday, Sept. 20
Caleb Harris and Friends Faculty Recital
8 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact:
615-898-2493.

Thursday, Sept. 21
Career Center Fall Career Fair
10 a.m.-3 p.m., Murphy Center, track level
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~career
or contact: 615-898-2500.

Free Legal Clinic
7-9 p.m., June Anderson Women's Center (JUB 206)
Appointments required
For information, contact: 615-898-2193.

Sept. 22-24
20th Annual Middle Tennessee Fall Invitational
Tennis Tournament
Buck Bouldin Tennis Center
For information, contact: 615-898-2957.

Friday, Sept. 22
Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year)
begins at sundown.

Women's Volleyball vs. South Alabama
7 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Alternative Fall Break application deadline
4:30 p.m., KUC 326S
For information, visit www.mtsu.edu/~camporgs/ events.htm
or e-mail camporgs@mtsu.edu.

MTSU Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds
7:30 p.m., Hinton Music Hall
No admission charge
For information, contact: 615-898-2493.

Saturday, Sept. 23
Blue Raider Football at University of Oklahoma
6 p.m., Norman, Okla.
For information, visit www.goblueraiders.com
or contact: 615-898-2103.

Women's Volleyball vs. Troy
7 p.m., Alumni Memorial Gym
For information, contact: 615-898-2450.

Sunday, Sept. 24
Ramadan (Islamic month of fasting)
begins at dawn.

"MTSU On the Record-Expanding Your Horizons"
Guest: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross
7 a.m., WMOT 89.5-FM
Podcast at www.mtsunews.com.

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